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What have you been up to since you graduated?
Since graduating UEA DEV in 2020, I have been working with the United Nations in a variety of areas related to humanitarian aid, development and effective multilateralism. Shortly after finishing my master's thesis, I managed to land a remote internship with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) working in the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation. During this experience, I was able to learn about the UN system, its history and how it operates, in addition to contributing to interesting work and thinking around development effectiveness, civil society engagement, and strategic multilateral financing for development.
From there, I accepted a consultancy in New York with the UN World Food Programme (WFP), where I supported the implementation of ongoing internal reforms of the UN system, that aimed to increase inter-UN collaboration, efficiency and cost savings. During my three years with WFP, I saw an opportunity to transition to work in humanitarian aid and response with the WFP Regional Bureau in Panama, supporting the response to the worsening crisis in Haiti in 2022. I undertook a short assignment, to directly support the Regional Director in coordinating organization-wide emergency responses. Having worked in Haiti and other countries in Latin America previously, I felt energized and excited to return to more field focused work, having spent much of my time thus far with the UN following large change processes and the transformation of global structures.
Shortly after this, in 2024, I started a new role as an Emergency Officer with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), something that had been an aspiration since joining the UN. As an Emergency Officer in New York, I am responsible for supporting UNICEF country offices in Sub-Saharan Africa that are responding to emergencies including conflict, natural disasters, public health emergencies and the adverse effects of climate change. This experience so far has been intense and incredibly rewarding; exactly the type of career I was looking forward to following my time at UEA.
What was your ambition for your career when you started at UEA? Did you have a specific career path in mind?
When I started at UEA, I had serious career aspirations around working in development and humanitarian action, because I believe deeply in achieving universal human dignity. After graduating from undergrad in 2014, I spent four years working in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Nicaragua with small, grassroots NGOs devoted to education, public health, and disaster risk reduction.
After four years, I realized that I wanted to go back to school to learn how to improve the effectiveness of development work and the thinking around how we, as a global community, can do development differently. After researching schools and options, I found that UEA DEV produces global leading research on the areas where I wanted to focus my career. I was fortunate to receive a Fulbright scholarship to attend UEA, with the hope that the things I would learn could serve as a guide for my professional life moving forward. Although there were challenges to overcome during my time at UEA, like the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, and the transition to online learning, as well as country-wide strikes by university professors, my experience, and the things I learned with DEV profoundly affected my future for the better.
Tell us about your experiences studying at UEA (how did you find out about UEA, what made you choose to study your subject, and what were your best days on the course?
I had a wonderful experience at UEA. As an international student surrounded mostly by other international students from around the globe, my experience was filled with studying, making friends, cultural exchange and new perspectives. Some of my best memories from that year were the deep discussions of the development sector held in my classes and trying new things, like my first proper fish and chips, kayaking on the Broads, joining the UEA salsa club, attending climate protests, hanging out on the square, exploring the historic sites of Norwich, and searching for the best Sunday roast in the city.
Some of the best days on the course were field trips we took, like the visit to Fen Farms where we got a look at sustainable farming practices happening in East Anglia and understanding local supply chains. Other fantastic experiences included large group projects and simulations of real-life work in the humanitarian and development sector.
Did you participate in any societies while studying at UEA?
The DEV society provided many opportunities to meet professionals in the field, and hear about real life experiences. This was extremely helpful when deciding what to do after graduating.
In your career what key tasks & skills are involved on a day-to-day basis, and what are/have been the most rewarding/challenging aspects?
The tasks and skills I use everyday are, coordination, communication, and strategic thinking. The most challenging aspect of my work is managing the emotional told of working on addressing the issues facing children in crisis around the globe and the fast paced work environment. The most rewarding part of my work is successfully reaching children with resources that support their basic needs, and ensuring they can access their rights, like their rights to education, healthcare and protection.
Has your degree influenced your career?
My degree set me up with a strong foundation for understanding and addressing the root causes of global need. It also provided strong skills in systems thinking and adapting/building efficient structures within a specific context and a changing environment. It encouraged me to always start thinking about a problem by looking holistically, and then identifying targeted solutions, managing risk, and tracking outcomes and value.
What personal or professional achievement are you most proud of?
I am personally very proud of working every day to maintain a good balance between my work and family life, and learning to advocate for myself effectively as a junior part of a very large bureaucracy.
Professionally, I am very proud of the contributions I have made to improving systems within the UN, and in my teams. For example, within UNICEF, I developed and piloted a new framework for collaboration between UNICEF teams working on humanitarian emergencies moving away from personality based ways of working toward more structured systems which improved information sharing, efficacy and collective vision for addressing and responding to protracted emergencies like those in DRC, Gaza and Sudan.
What were your experiences of Norwich as a city? Is there anything in particular that you miss or have fond memories of?
I adored living in Norwich. I have fond memories of spending time in the downtown area, trying new restaurants, popping into charity shops, and the long history of the area so readily available to experience first hand.
Would you recommend studying at UEA? Why?
UEA is great, because of its high academic standard and being in Norwich. It's a great combination for a university to have, to be in a city with so much to do, where the cost of living is manageable.
Is there any advice you would give to current students, wishing to follow a similar career path to you?
My advice to current students is to be curious, patient and flexible. The development and humanitarian aid sector is currently experiencing profound changes and challenges, making a career in the field even more difficult to realize than it already was. Don't give up! Build your professional network, identify your strengths, cultivate diverse experience, and take the opportunities that come, even if they do not exactly match your interests and goals, as these experiences often open other doors. In my experience, a career in this field is built on a certain level of comfort with uncertainty, a commitment to your own wellbeing, and a humble, principled, and values driven approach to serving others.
A better world is always possible. Best of luck!
What is next for you?
I am currently looking into transitioning away from coordination of emergencies towards working in humanitarian advocacy and shaping global narratives around aid and development. I hope to stay within the UN system, but I don't know what that looks like yet. Stay tuned!
*The course changed its name from MA Development Practice during the 2023 re-brand to the School of Global Development.