James Fountain: Leadership in Motion—from Ohio to Bhutan and Beyond

From stories of his grandfather to his own global travels by motorcycle, James Fountain brings together the learnings of culture, compassion, and geography that shape his leadership style. His career spans cartography, executive roles, and sustainability consulting. Across roles and continents, he believes that kindness is worth investing in.

James grew up in Troy, a small city in southwest Ohio, raised by his grandparents—his grandfather a World War II veteran, and his grandmother originally from Munich. Their stories and influence sparked his lifelong interest in the world. After a period working as a mountaineering guide in Montana, he became a geography major and began a career in cartography, including work with National Geographic and the EPA. He later transitioned to sustainability consulting, with leadership roles at Accenture, Deloitte, and Jacobs, where he served as VP of Decarbonization. He also contributed to peacekeeping and infrastructure mapping efforts with the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Across all of these experiences, one theme remains constant: relationships drive impact. “If your people trust you, and trust is based on kindness, that’s fundamental to being a good leader,” he said.

In our conversation, James described kindness as a connective force—a foundation for trust, empathy, and long-term thinking. He challenges short-term mindsets in business and investing. “When you invest in things like sustainability and kindness, they typically have a longer investment horizon. You're really investing more in an infrastructure,” he said. For James, that shift delivers measurable results: stronger decision-making, inclusive cultures, and more durable returns.

Now reporting on Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City, James is documenting a visionary project backed by the King of Bhutan. The city, under development between two national parks, is designed to integrate environmental protection, spiritual sanctuaries, and clean hydropower infrastructure. If successful, it could become a global model for values-based development. The project reflects Bhutan’s broader commitment to holistic living and sustainable growth, grounded in its constitutional principle of Gross National Happiness, a national policy introduced in 2008 that measures collective well-being over purely economic gain.

Whether consulting in boardrooms or riding through remote villages, James sees kindness as a global language. He has traveled the world by motorcycle, working with indigenous communities and documenting the effects of climate change and geopolitical shifts on their lives and cultures. “There are several international languages, and motorcycles is one of them.” Often, his arrival sparks connection. “When I come into a village on a motorcycle, the first to always greet me are the kids. They always come running up to the motorcycle, and once you show kindness to the kids, you have immediate buy-in with the families,” he said. In those moments, motorcycles—like food, song, and dance—become cultural bridges.

James brings these insights into corporate life. He champions relationship-based leadership through practices like regular skip-level meetings, inclusive celebrations (including a Diwali-Halloween hybrid event at Delta Dental called “Hawali”), and time investments that build loyalty. “If you give your time, especially when you have very little of it, that’s a kindness,” he said.

As we closed our conversation, James reflected on the importance of being someone who recognizes the interdependencies of our world, and helping others see them too. “Once you see how everything is connected, kindness is what binds all that together.”

“Kindness is intrinsic. It comes down to relationships.”

James Fountain is a sustainability strategist, global researcher, and cultural bridge-builder whose work reminds us that kindness is a force—for people, for policy, and for the planet. Keep an eye out for more interviews.