The Social Change Career Podcast

In Episode 3 of Season 10,  Faith Edem, Economic Advisor at Environment Canada explores the radical (and much needed) growth in careers at the intersection of policy and sustainable economics. Building on her own rich experience engaging and shaping environmental policies in Environment Canada and globally she shares insights on the wide range of career paths that are critical to addressing one of the planet’s greatest challenges.  From her decade of work in the social impact sector, what Faith explains sees as the key skills in demand for climate careers, where the future jobs will be, and how to build effective global partnerships to make direct policy changes and much more.  Finally, talked about the importance of building a more inclusive and diverse climate sector and venturing into social impact entrepreneurship. BIO Faith Edem is an Economic Advisor in Environment Canada where she develops Bilateral Climate Finance Programming in the International Affairs Branch. Faith works to support country-driven climate target implementation and climate governance in developing countries.  Faith holds a Masters in Public Administration (Specialization in Economic Policy) from Queen’s University and a BA Honours in Law and Political Science from the University of Toronto.  Faith has an array of expertise in climate finance, energy policy, net-zero emission, building sector, environmental justice and sustainability. As a young leader, Faith has been recognized as a 2022 Aspen Institute Future Leader, 2021 Corporate Knight 30 under 30 Sustainability Leader and a GreenBiz Circularity 2021 Emerging Leader. Faith is a policy researcher, published climate resilience author in Our Climate, Our Stories and an awarded diversity and inclusion actor.      Check out previous Seasons & Episodes of our Award-Winning Social Change Career Podcast. Become a member of the PCDN Career Campus to get daily access (to job opportunities) community (network with other impact professionals); learning with sector-experts and exclusive workshops as well as weekly office hours. Basically a cup of coffee or two for a 24/7 career center for impact professionals.                      

In Episode 2, Craig and Catalina sat down with Aniqa Nawabi who is the Executive Director of the Muslim Community Network . Aniqa shared her insights working for more than 2 decades in the social impact sector, helping to build innovative programming supporting local and international change in a wide variety of sectors. This will include the skills needed to build a high-impact community based organization such as fundraising, communication, actions, and of course patience. She discussed the importance of building creative partnerships with a range of sectors and organizations, how to measure the impact of one’s work and also how to balance between funders and communities.   BIO Aniqa Nawabi is a nonprofit and public policy professional who brings nearly a decade of experience in non-profit management and policy. She serves as the Muslim Community Network’s, Executive Director.  At MCN, Aniqa helped grow the organization’s programmatic footprint to include both a citywide and international presence with the launch of an international interfaith engagement for Muslim youth focused on peacebuilding and conflict resolution. She is also building out the organization to be one of the premier interfaith engagement and direct service institution for the Muslim community.  Prior to joining MCN, Aniqa served as the Director of Development at Chhaya Community Development Corporation, an anti-poverty non-profit organization that works on the housing and immigrant rights of the South Asian community in New York City. As the lead fundraiser, she raised a budget of $1 million+ each year and helped expand and grow Chhaya’s reach among the individual donor and institutional funder landscape in New York City.  She first started her career as an Assistant Research Scholar at New York University where she worked under the former Senior Economic Advisor to the President of Afghanistan and studied post-conflict states and worked on international development projects in Afghanistan and the Middle East. As an immigrant from Bangladesh and growing up as a Muslim American teenager in Queens, New York, she saw firsthand the struggles Muslim communities face in the post-9/11 era. Aniqa grew up in Germany and South Africa before coming to the United States and holds a Masters in Public Administration degree from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service and a B.A. from the City University of New York-Queens College. She is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Business of Nonprofit Management at New York University. She is a mother of two, an avid traveler, and speaks Bengali, Hindi, and Farsi. Check out previous Seasons & Episodes of our Award-Winning Social Change Career Podcast. Become a member of the PCDN Career Campus to get daily access (to job opportunities) community (network with other impact professionals); learning with sector-experts and exclusive workshops as well as weekly office hours. Basically a cup of coffee or two for a 24/7 career center for impact professionals.

Opening Season 10 we sit down with Monica Perez who has more than two decades of experience at the  Director level leading governmental, foundation, nonprofit and private sector organizations in Latin America and the US.  She has led and managed teams of 300+, led execution of transformational programs over $10 million USD per year, and led communication and market strategies for leading companies, including the EPM Group, EPM Foundation, ProColombia, and the International Cooperation and investment Agency for Medellin. She currently works in NYC as Associate Director of Development for NY/Latam for the Nature Conservancy. Monica shares reflections and key tips for how to build a nimble and high-impact career dedicated to creative change based on her rich experience leading and working for some of the leading public, private and nonprofit organizations in Colombia and the United States. She discusses what are the key skills in demand for professionals seeking to engage across sectors, her experience working on fundraising and capital investment projects at scale in the sustainability and international development sectors, strategies to pivot across sectors, as well as the pros/cons of working in different industries. Monica highlight why changemakers are needed in many roles and her rich experience in hiring and managing talent.   Monica's Bio Executive Director with twenty years of experience leading social impact programs in Latin America for government and non government organizations. Proven track record in designing and executing turnaround strategy. Expertise in leading corporate responsibility, business development, communications, and finance departments. Sector specialization in poverty reduction, entrepreneurship, education and culture, FDI and international relations.   Check out previous Seasons & Episodes of our Award-Winning Social Change Career Podcast. Become a member of the PCDN Career Campus to get daily access (to job opportunities) community (network with other impact professionals); learning with sector-experts and exclusive workshops as well as weekly office hours. Basically a cup of coffee or two for a 24/7 career center for impact professionals.

Season 9 closes with perhaps one of the most important topics in the world of work in terms of areas of growth -not to mention relevance: Climate-related jobs and careers.  In fact, climate is going to be bigger than the Internet.  So how to build your career in this new world? to answer this critical question we sat down with Ashuman Tapma, serial entrepreneur and founder of Terra.do, the global platform for learning and working in climate. Anshuman has founded four startups, two of which have been acquired, and has deep experience in social innovation and impact around the globe. In 2019, he launched Terra.Do, In Episode 13,  Anshuman shared his rich insights on how to find, upskill for and land climate and sustainability positions across a wide range of functions. He reflects on his journey of moving from tech to social impact in order to address the largest collective challenge of all: climate. Lastly, he shared his lessons of working as a leader in the social impact space and offered tips of how professionals and students can move towards using their skills and training for people and the planet.   This episode was brought to you thanks to the Rotary Peace Fellowship.   Are you an existing or emerging peace leader looking to take your career to the next level? You might be eligible to receive full funding to pursue a MA or professional certificate in peace & conflict studies. Learn more about Rotary Peace Fellowships at https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/peace-fellowships    

In Episode 13 of Season 9 learn from innovator, founder and social entrepreneur Paul Breloff. Paul has been working in the social impact sector for over 2 decades in a variety of innovative roles including currently as CEO and Co-Founder of Shortlist, a leading search, recruiting and upskilling startup connecting impact talent to opportunity across Africa and beyond.  Paul shares his rich experience and insights from developing and recruiting talent for a wide variety of regional and global social impact organizations. He discusses tips for how to work with headhunters, explore what are the key skills in demand, how the world of work is changing across Africa and his suggestions for candidates to be more competitive in their job searches. In addition, he highlights his lessons from working at the intersection of development, investment, startups and the global change industry for over two decades. For those seeking to scale innovative solutions to local and regional challenge, Paul will shares unique lessons from his work across a wide range of roles and the ups and downs (as well as maintaining one’s well-being) in the impact world.  Paul is the Co-Founder and CEO of Shortlist, a talent advisory and executive search firm working across Africa and India. Since its founding in 2016, Shortlist has worked with 1,000+ companies and 1,800,000+ jobseekers across 30 countries. Before Shortlist, Paul was the Founder and Managing Director of Accion Venture Lab, a VC fund investing in inclusive fintech startups globally, and head of business development for SKS Microfinance in Hyderabad. He has also been a corporate lawyer and advertising account executive, and advises several startups and investment funds in Africa. He lives in Nairobi, Kenya.   This session is supported by the Rotary Peace Fellowship, a fully-funded master’s degree or certificate in peace and development studies. 

In Episode 11 of Season 9,  Key insights for aspiring impact professionals based in the Global South, learn from innovator and career expert Lucille Jade Galvan. Jade has been working in career advising, recruitment and talent management for over 15 years in a wide-variety of roles in leading institutions in Singapore, Bangladesh, and the Philippines. Her current role is Career Services Director at the Asian Institute of Management, a leading graduate institution that upskills professionals in development, management and sustainability across the region and beyond. Jade shares rich insights from her cross-sectoral career in talent and advising thousands of students and alumni across Southeast Asia in advancing career of impact with a particular focus on the sustainability sector.   She will highlight areas of growth connected to purpose and impact career, suggestions for building more competitive applications and networking and also why pursuing a career in recruitment and talent management can be a wonderful path in the impact sector. She will also discuss her experiences at working across countries and in leading private sector and educational institutions.  Lucille Jade Galvan is Career Services Director at the Asian Institute of Management in The Philippines. Prior to rejoining AIM in 2020 where she also worked from 2011 to 2016, she was Assistant Director at the Nanyang Business School of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and a former Head of Career Development and International Programs at the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh. Her career foundation has been in corporate human resources for a multinational conglomerate. Jade holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from De La Salle University. She also completed a diploma program in Industrial Relations from the University of the Philippines including certification programs in management from Asian Institute of Management and in women in education leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is currently undertaking masteral research within the framework of Just Transition fundamental for achieving climate goals and decent work for all at the University of the Philippines School of Labor and Industrial Relations. For those who want much greater support, access to the world’s best experts, more interactive sessions, networking events & workshops over 350 opportunities per month (fellowships, jobs, funding, socent +startup, training and more) + tons of members only benefits please visit the PCDN Career Campus. This session is supported by the Rotary Peace Fellowship Every year, 130 individuals are selected to receive a generous award from The Rotary Foundation that funds tuition, living expenses, international field experience, and research/conference opportunities at one of the Rotary Peace Centers, located within eight leading universities around the world.    

Episode 10 of Season 9 features leading social innovator and author of "THe New Reason to Work" Roshan Paul. Roshan has been working at the intersection of leadership, innovation, social entrepreneurship, upskilling and convening for impact for more than 15 years including at his current role as Director of Leadership Practice at IREX. Roshan shares deep insights from working around the globe helping hundreds of social impact professionals scale their skills, impact and careers. He discusses the wonders and challenges of advancing a career in the social impact sector, tips for building relevant skills and what he sees as key emerging career pathways. In addition, given his own career path and mentoring many professionals from the Global South he will also highlight key recommendations for those seeking to scale a regional or remote impact career.  Roshan Paul is the Director of Leadership Practice at IREX and the co-author of the Amazon #1 bestseller The New Reason to Work. Originally from Bangalore, India, he spent the first 10 years of his career working with Ashoka and the next 10 years co-founding and leading Amani Institute into the largest social change career development organization in the global south. He loves watching cricket, wildlife, and well-written TV shows. This session is supported by the Rotary Peace Fellowship Every year, 130 individuals are selected to receive a generous award from The Rotary Foundation that funds tuition, living expenses, international field experience, and research/conference opportunities at one of the Rotary Peace Centers, located within eight leading universities around the world.  

In this episode, learn from innovator and educator Diana Suarez founder and CEO of GLOT. Diana has been working at the intersection of education and social impact for more than a decade.  In this episode session Diana shares her rich experience working on innovation and impact in a wide-variety of education roles including in the nonprofit, public and higher education sectors. She discusses her lessons building an innovative non-profit that is working to advance language literacy and social impact within Colombia and globally. In addition, she highlights the key trends in education for impact careers, recommendations for those wanting to work in global education and tips for how to upskill.     DIana is Productivity and Quality engineer, with an MSc in Environment and development. She ispassionate about children, languages, and social impact. For Diana, education is the tool to fight poverty and reduce inequalities.She has more than 12 years of experience in the educational sector, working for universities, the government and non-state actors leading projects and partnerships at the national and international level.   Diana is  the Founder and CEO of GLOT Inc, an International organization that creates social impact through languages. She is an adjunct professor at a business school with the course International Relations. A  Spanish native speaker, DIana speaks English, French, some basic Swahili, and is currently learning Italian. This session is supported by the Rotary Peace Fellowship, a fully-funded master’s degree or certificate in peace and development studies.     

Curious about how to build a career with finance and climate? In episode 8 of Season 9 this session Dimitry shares key tips for finance and non-finance people who strive to work at the intersection of finance, planet and impact. This is an area of tremendous growth as there is a desperate need to not only move capital out of destructive industries and investing, but also to radically scale investments in companies that are building services and products that are advancing a more sustainable world. Dimitry will discuss lessons from his career, what skills are needed to work in this area (as well as potential roles for non-finance people), and tips for upskilling.  Dimitry Gershenson is the co-founder and CEO of Enduring Planet. Dimitry has worked in climate and impact investing for over a decade, partnering with, and investing in startups, funds, and non-profits across the US, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.  Prior to Enduring Planet, Dimitry led M&A and served as COO for Rango Wireless, an Enduring Ventures portfolio company. Before that, Dimitry built Meta’s Energy Access program, a $15M+ investing initiative that enabled energy access for 3M people and unlocked nearly $500M in additional capital in underserved markets like Kenya and India. While at Meta, Dimitry also led the development of multiple predictive ML products in the cleantech space and built corporate accelerator programs for impact startups in India and Puerto Rico.  Dimitry has an MS in Energy and Resources from UC Berkeley and a BS in Natural Resource Management from Rutgers University. He lives in Portland,OR with his wife, 4 y/o daughter, and bird.

In episode 7 of Season 9  Lydia Cardona  key tips and lessons from building a career in the growing but still highly competitive social impact space.  She highlights how to develop skills, advance networks and find the right (often) winding path, while building a career across diverse sectoral areas.  In addition, she discusses strategies for dealing with the ups and downs that frequently occur and being open to the surprising opportunities that emerge during a career journey.  Cardona may be the inventor of the term "career mindfulness".  If you want to learn what that is, sit down and take a listen.  Lydia works in the social responsibility sector helping translate complex ideas into actionable practice for diverse audiences. She is a firm believer in systems thinking for social change, rooted in her experience working as an advisor on conflict sensitivity, human rights, gender, and climate issues. She is passionate about social justice, sustainability, and community resilience and works actively on these issues in a personal capacity. Lydia holds a masters in International Peace Studies.