John Kluge Jr. is a social entrepreneur, impact investor, and author whose work spans refugee economic inclusion, nature-based solutions, and the reimagination of capital as a tool for belonging.
He is the co-founder of the Refugee Investment Network (RIN), a pioneering initiative that shifts the global conversation on refugee policy from charity to economic opportunity — mobilizing private capital, catalyzing partnerships, and building the evidence base for refugee-led investment as a driver of inclusive development. RIN’s work has been presented at the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, the Vatican Impact Investing Summit, and the Milken Institute Global Conference, among others.
John is also Co-Founder & CEO of Thistlerock Mead Company, America’s first net-zero meadery, located on a regenerative flower farm in Albemarle County, Virginia’s Monticello AVA. Thistlerock is both a craft beverage brand and a living demonstration of the values John champions in his broader work — rooted in place, powered by pollinators, and oriented toward regeneration over extraction. The meadery’s Bloom-to-Bottle model integrates beekeeping, native wildflower cultivation, and Celtic cultural traditions into a hospitality and events experience that draws visitors from across the region.
His commitment to impact extends to governance. John serves on the board of the Montpelier Foundation, home of James Madison’s historic estate, where he has been involved in efforts to reckon honestly with the site’s full history. He also serves as Vice-Chair of the board of of the Norwegian Refugee Council USA, and as a board member of the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection at the University of Virginia, one of the only museums outside Australia dedicated to Australian Aboriginal art and indigenous rights.
John is the co-author of a new book, Banking on Belonging: Why Investing in Refugee Entrepreneurs Benefits Everyone (Columbia University Press), as well as co-author of Charity and Philanthropy for Dummies, and author of John Kluge: Stories (Columbia University Press). He holds a B.A. from Columbia College (2005) and an M.B.A. from Babson College (2017). John has delivered three TEDx talks and is a frequent speaker on business, ethics, and social innovation. He lives with his wife and their family on the Thistlerock farm outside Charlottesville, Virginia.
