John Lee Gaston White is a writer, poet, entrepreneur, and investor who champions emotional expression as a catalyst for both personal and national transformation. Through poetry and storytelling, his work explores healing, self-discovery, and the inner revolution required to build a freer, more just world.
John is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Global Leader Innovation, LLC. He is also the Managing Member of RaumCo, an advisory firm with a tech-hybrid investment philosophy that has sourced over $3.5 billion in opportunities and launched a $30 million venture capital fund of funds.
Previously, he helped grow a private family office from $1.2 billion to $2 billion in assets under management. He also served as the first Regional & Country Head for ANZ and Asia Pacific at MetricStream, a Silicon Valley–based, venture-backed GRC technology firm. His leadership continues to foster cross-border collaboration and global innovation.
A graduate of Morehouse College and a Kauffman Fellow (Class 25), John blends strategic insight with creative expression. He is the Founder and Creative Director of Gaston & Claudine, a luxury fashion platform that fuses family legacy, sustainability, and poetic storytelling. Recognized by Glamour Magazine Poland as a “name worth knowing,” he builds ventures across generations and geographies.
His forthcoming memoir, HOLD ME: I AM THE NATION, is a deeply personal narrative structured around foundational U.S. documents. Through these texts, John weaves a story of resilience, belonging, and self-liberation—offering a powerful meditation on the personal work required for collective transformation.
