Hans E. Hageman grew up in Harlem, New York's tenements and housing projects, finally settling in "Exodus House," a groundbreaking residential drug treatment community founded by his father. His upbringing taught him early lessons of courage and faith in human potential.

After studying at Princeton University and Columbia Law School, Hans practiced law as a prosecutor, as chief counsel to a U.S. Senate subcommittee, and as a public defender before dedicating his career to youth development and education. He founded independent schools in Harlem for students who struggled in traditional environments, directly confronting the school-to-prison pipeline. He also co-founded a girls' school in Lucknow, India, for lower caste students.

Hans has led nonprofits domestically and in Africa focused on nurturing creativity and resilience in underserved youth populations. Before moving to Mississippi, he served as Executive Director of Land to Learn, establishing vegetable gardening and breathwork programs for teen boys incarcerated in a maximum-security prison for extremely violent crimes.

His work has earned recognition, including the Robin Hood Foundation Heroes Award and Essence Magazine Award. He is a 2023 national education award Yass Prize semifinalist for his role as Executive Director of the Tutwiler Community Education Center in the Mississippi Delta. He is creating a microschool network where children will have personalized, individualized learning plans where they can flourish and do more than just follow the rules.

He was also a Lieutenant in the US Army Reserve and a graduate of the 101st Airmobile’s Air Assault School.

The father of four, Hans is also the author of "Gamer Strong: Mental Toughness Training for Next Level PvP Skills." His overarching goal is to become "An Ancestor Worth Remembering."