What do United Nations human rights work, middle school math games, and couples counseling have in common? On the surface, not much.

However, when Noah Teitelbaum brings together these experiences, he teaches The 12-Week MBA with a focus on relationships and having fun.

An International Start

Noah’s career began with the United Nations, where he worked on human rights in post-war Yugoslavia and Croatia. This experience instilled in him a profound understanding of resilience and adaptability.

“It was a couple of years after the war ended, and a lot of it involved overseeing the return of ethnic minorities to Croatia,” he explained.

Despite the administrative and bureaucratic challenges, Noah’s work was rooted in helping people reclaim their lives amidst the remnants of conflict. Navigating these intense issues developed a steely resolve and appreciation for the lighter things, which he now integrates into his teaching of The 12-Week MBA, emphasizing the importance of resilience and adaptability while ensuring the process remains engaging and enjoyable.

Transition to Education and Business

After his time overseas, Noah returned to the United States to become a schoolteacher. He joined the New York City Teaching Fellows, teaching in Central Harlem—a period he describes as the most challenging and rewarding professional years of his life. Teaching middle school math in such a demanding environment honed his communication, problem-solving, and adaptability— laying the foundation for his future in education and facilitation.

“I gravitated towards math because I could do lots of games, which is one of the things that draws me to Abilitie—the opportunity to play games with people,” he said.

Bringing fun, experiential learning to the classroom was so successful, he became a trainer of other teachers and began developing curricula and refining his pedagogical philosophy.