Mihai Patru is the Executive Director of Blue Zones Palm Springs, where he leads efforts to create healthier, more connected, and resilient communities across the city. A former diplomat and social entrepreneur, Mihai brings over a decade of experience in inclusive economic development, entrepreneurship education, and cross-sector collaboration.

Before joining Blue Zones, he co-founded and led Caravanserai – Alliance for Entrepreneurs, a regional organization that helped thousands of California entrepreneurs access capital and build sustainable businesses. He also served as Entrepreneur in Residence and Senior Fellow at the University of California, Riverside, and as a Senior Fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. In 2022, he was appointed by the Governor of California to the Entrepreneurship and Economic Mobility Task Force.

His areas of expertise include startup ecosystem development, social innovation, small business creation, community development, and building strategic partnerships that drive local and regional impact. Mihai holds graduate degrees from University of Bucharest (Romania), Central European University (Hungary) and Johns Hopkins SAIS (Washington DC) and is pursuing a doctorate in Leadership for Educational Justice at the University of Redlands. A Palm Springs resident since 2020, he is passionate about well-being, innovation, and community transformation.