What inspired you to work for Volunteers in Asia?
I wanted to work for an organization that 1) was involved in international education, 2) had a strong social mission, 3) encouraged and enabled their staff to be creative, and 3) had some connection to Asia.
I learned about VIA through my master's program in International Education Management and really connected with their philosophy and approach to experiential learning in cross-cultural contexts.
Describe a typical day at work.
While located primarily in northern California, our team is entirely remote. My typical days are a combination of routine operational upkeep, developing new systems or processes for the organization, and Zoom meetings with different individuals or teams. I do also have the opportunity to travel and support programs on the ground, which is a great perk of the job.
Why do you do what you do?
I strongly believe that challenging our assumptions, building empathy, and breaking down barriers between different groups is key to building a happier, healthier, and more sustainable world.
I'm constantly inspired by how VIA's participants and alumni community are working towards that vision. I feel it's an honor and privilege to support their growth and enable them to become leaders and changemakers.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I enjoy solving problems to make other peoples' lives easier. As the Director of Operations, I am constantly finding ways to streamline and optimize our internal processes, which allows our program team to spend more time designing and delivering high-impact programs.
How do you use your education and international background in your current role?
I studied abroad in Europe while in undergrad and then worked as an Assistant Language Teacher in Japan for five years on the JET Program. When I came back to the US, I completed my master's degree in International Education Management at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.
My personal experiences abroad are very helpful in empathizing and anticipating the challenges our participants may experience; the intercultural competence I've developed is also helpful in communicating with partners and working with diverse teams.
I leverage my education primarily for program design, project management, as well as risk management, and intercultural competency training.
What makes VIA special?
VIA is an agile social impact organization that has consistently prioritized its participants, partners, and collaborators since its founding in 1963. VIA constantly innovates and evolves to meet the emerging needs of the communities it serves.
Why should someone choose your organization over competitors?
Community and person-to-person connections are at the core of VIA's program design. If you are looking for something beyond cultural exchange, if you want to build genuine connections with your host community, your cohort peers, and an international community of 10,000+ alumni and partners, and if you want to feel empowered to pursue a lifetime of meaningful impact, then VIA is the right place to be.
Are there any developments with your organization that you would like to share with us?
Prior to the pandemic, in response to emerging needs among our partners and suggestions from alumni, VIA had just begun the process of developing its next strategic plan, which envisioned aligning all our programs towards social impact leadership development.
Although the pandemic has prevented in-person programming, it has in many ways accelerated our progress in restructuring to optimize for this new direction. We are very excited to see the plan taking shape, with scaffolded programs that meet aspiring social impact leaders wherever they are at in their changemaker journey, from curiosity and initial exploration to launching a startup, to established organizations looking to grow in a new direction.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
We focus on two areas of participant learning outcomes.
In terms of personal and professional growth, we hope that participants come away with 1) a greater interest in exploring new perspectives, 2) an appreciation for flexibility and adaptability, 3) a greater awareness of their own personal and professional goals, 4) and a greater awareness of their own assumptions and biases.
We also hope participants develop an interest in addressing social issues through 1) connecting with others from diverse backgrounds, 2) working collaboratively to address social challenges, 3) increased interest in understanding social challenges through diverse perspectives, and 4) a greater appreciation for diverse perspectives.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
Traveling abroad and experiencing new cultures is the best way to understand your own. It helps you become more aware of how your own cultural identity influences your assumptions, biases, value judgments, and responses.
When we become more aware of these things, we can control them better. This isn't just helpful when communicating across cultures. Being able to adapt your behavior and communication style to different contexts is incredibly useful in both personal and professional contexts.
Why do you think learning a new language is important?
Learning a new language is also learning a different way of thinking. How a language is structured and the cultural norms reinforcing (or reinforced by) how the language is used are a window into the perspective, beliefs, and values of the culture that uses it.
Learning a new language also teaches you to appreciate the challenges of communication, especially those of us who are privileged to speak a widely understood language like English. You learn to be creative and resourceful when trying to share an idea or connect with someone despite not having all the "right" words.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel means starting every journey with an awareness of the dynamics of power and privilege the traveler is a part of and entering into. It's important to be humble, open, respectfully curious, and reflective.
When possible and appropriate, pursue opportunities that encourage reciprocity.
No person and no place owes a traveler anything. It's the traveler's responsibility to expand their understanding and appreciation of the experiences they have and connections they are able to make.