My name is Eugene Leader. I was born in Moscow, Russia in 1983 and moved to Boston, USA in 1993. I discovered poker during college and stunned my family with my decision to take a break from school with only a year to go in order to see the world and to play poker professionally. My work is unique in many ways. I have a lot of free time and since most of my play is through the Internet, I am never committed to staying in one place. Another unique aspect of playing poker professionally is that is provides no benefit to society. This has bothered me for a while and has led to my involvement in wanting to help others in need. In summer and fall of 2006 I tried to sponsor and build a small, family-style orphanage four hours north of Kiev, Ukraine. After three months of running into disappointing dead ends which resulted from dealing with corrupt government and religious officials, I gave up on the idea.

In fall of 2007 I stumbled upon, and eventually joined, the PPDD during my two month trip to the Thai-Burma border city of Mae Sod. I began as a volunteer English and Music (recorder) teacher at nearby schools and discovered PPDD and Light School when I heard that it was in need of a second building and so I decided to help out. I was also immediately impressed with the unique atmosphere and global curriculum of the school and I said to myself that I wanted to contribute to either expanding it further, or to the creation of other schools like it. I was also surprised to find out that my favorite bar in the area, Thaimes Bar, was actually a non-profit bar. It was founded by the PPDD at the same time as the Light School in order to support its operating costs. Soon after, Anna Malindog, the Executive Director, a Filipino human right activist flew in from Istanbul Turkey and from Europe from her post graduate studies and we discovered that she and I shared many common view points and interests. I was overly excited when she and the others offered me to join the PPDD organization.

Soon my first big project with the PPDD will begin. The construction of the new “sister school” of the existing Light school will begin in this May and I am heading over to Southeast Asia in late April so that I can help with its development. I am currently in the process of doing fund raising for the school here in Boston. On top of the great feeling that comes with knowing that I am helping out with a great cause, I really like living in the remote parts of Asia and getting “away from it all”. I also like adventure and I am expecting many incredible experiences from my second trip. I am extremely excited. I will be able to get more and more involved in similar projects after I finish up my last year for my accounting degree in the upcoming school year.