Fellowship Profile: Isayas Theodros
Name: Isayas Theodros
Hometown: Fullerton, CA
Fellowship Year: 2013
Fellowship Role: Portfolio Manager for Partners for the Common Good in Washington, DC
Pre-Fellowship: Senior Auditor at Deloitte & Touche in Costa Mesa, CA
Education: BA, Economics & Accounting, Claremont McKenna College, 2010. Master’s Degree, Classical Acting, The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, 2016 (expected)
Areas of Expertise:
- Accounting
- Data Analysis
- Finance
- Project Management
“I was ready to shift my career path in a direction that would allow for a deeper and more personal impact.”
My Background
I’m a Southern Californian, born in Los Angeles and raised in Fullerton. My parents, both Ethiopian immigrants, raised me to value the importance of faith in God, community, and hard work. They instilled in me the importance of service and I have volunteered as a youth mentor and teacher.
Pre-Fellowship, I was a Senior Auditor for Deloitte & Touche, where I executed all phases of the strategic audit process for public and private companies. After 2 ½ years with Deloitte, I was ready to jump to the social sector. ProInspire offered an ideal pathway because it streamlined the process in what otherwise seemed like a challenging transition.
My Fellowship
I spent my Fellowship year as a Portfolio Manager at Partners for the Common Good (PCG), a community development financing institution in Washington, DC. I managed borrower/lender relations, tracked portfolio performance, and assisted the chief credit officer in underwriting and due diligence functions for prospective deal flow. By far, the best part of my job was assisting real people who longed to make a tangible difference in their respective communities.
My Impact
During my Fellowship, I closed $8.5 million of deal flow and managed a $20 million portfolio of loans outstanding.
My Next
I stayed at PCG as a Portfolio Manager for an additional year after my Fellowship ended. I was recently awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and am now studying classical acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Similar to my experience with ProInspire, I anticipate having opportunities to improvise, speak publicly, and authentically engage my community.