Introducing 2012 ProInspire Fellow: Heran Getachew
Name: Heran Getachew
Hometown: New York City
Previous employer: IBM
Current organization: FHI360
What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector?
A typical week has always felt like two weeks for me; daytime on weekdays were spent working as a Business Analyst in a consulting firm while evenings and weekends were spent working on various volunteer nonprofit projects. After more than a year of living this kind of lifestyle, I realized that leading this double life would only be a temporary outlet for my desire to improve people’s lives and to utilize my business skills. In order to bridge the gap between my heart and my head, I knew that I would have to concentrate on pursuing my dreams in the nonprofit space. I needed to gain concrete skills and experience within international development and social entrepreneurship that I could only gain from working full time in these fields.
What is your current position, and a typical day like?
I am currently an Analyst in the Corporate Project Management Office. My typical day is split up between meetings and time working on different projects. A good part of my day is spent working with the core Corporate Project Management Office team members on a process improvement project, for which we have been interviewing stakeholders across the organization and recommending changes to optimize the organization’s financial position.
I am also working on monitoring a project to execute a country strategy development process for long-term business growth in six countries. The remainder of my day is working on conducting competitive analysis of the Southern Africa region for a business case presentation to executives. There are always new projects that we become involved in so outside of meetings, there is no typical day. The exciting part of my role is that I get to work on initiatives that are cross-cutting through departments and allow me to get a view of the organization as a whole.
Where did you work prior to making the switch?
Before making the switch, I worked as a Consultant in IBM’s Consulting Services practice.
What is your professional background and areas of expertise?
My background is in management/IT consulting. My expertise lies in strategy development, project management, organization design, and change management. In terms of skills I gained in the social sector before I made the switch, my experience lies in program design and management, building partnerships, workshop facilitation, training, and event planning.
What are you involved in outside of work?
I currently volunteer as the Director of Research and Development for Blessed Coffee, a Benefit Corporation that promotes the development of coffee growing regions in Ethiopia and coffee selling regions in MD. Outside of volunteering, I enjoy exploring DC, hanging out at independent cafes, and taking dance classes.
Tell us about your past leadership experiences and how they are helping you in your current role.
My previous experience in managing large scale transformation projects as a Consultant has equipped me with the tools and frameworks to consider when working on post-merger transformation projects that the Corporate Project Management office is spearheading. It has also taught me the importance of always keeping the end recipient or client at the center of your decisions. My experience in leading initiatives at nonprofits over the years has enabled me to be sensitive to the challenges facing nonprofits and the importance of delivering measurable results in spite of resource constraints.
Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years?
I see myself as a business owner and part of a social enterprise business incubator, working to train and coach social entrepreneurs around the world.
What are some of the myths surrounding working in the nonprofit sector that have been debunked by your experience?
One myth I have seen debunked is that nonprofits do not have good managers or career guidance for young professionals. I currently have one of the best managers of my entire career, far exceeding some of the managers I have had in the private sector in terms of providing opportunities for growth and being genuinely interested in coaching me into a position of leadership. I can honestly say that my teammates also feel this way and are great mentors themselves. My teammates actually read Harvard Business Review articles on good management skills and leadership for fun. Good management skills really depend on your leaders and team members; it can’t be generalized by sector. This is definitely one of the best eye opening experiences I can share with people interested in working in the social sector.
If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see play the lead role?
This is a hard one… I would love for Gina Torres, Sanaa Lathan or Gabrielle Union to play the lead role.
What is your dream career if money was not an option?
If money was not an option, I would be an artist of some sort. I would probably be found throwing pottery and/or teaching high energy dance classes.
Where do you hang out in the DC area?
My new hang out spots are in Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights. I’m looking to explore more of Northeast DC once the weather gets warmer!
What book are you reading right now or what is your favorite book?
One of my favorite books of all time is the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I am currently reading The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho and the Four Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris.