Member:  IAM Leadership Alliance Council

Despite having been around for some time now in the industry, I’m not so sure my volunteerism has been about giving back to the industry. Instead, it has been more about learning and connecting with others.

In working with IAM’s Leadership Alliance, I’ve met great, energetic and creative people. Some I knew already, but others would likely not have entered my orbit had it not been for a mutual interest in collaborating on something new.

We formed the Leadership Alliance in late 2021, agreed on a vision and mission, and set goals for the first two years. Even before we actually did anything, I enjoyed our meetings thoroughly. We had fun, upbeat and stimulating discussions, which can sometimes be a nice distraction from the day-to-day challenges of international moving.

In a short period of time, the group launched a new leadership program and began to deliver a variety of webinars and events. The sense of accomplishment from setting this program in motion feels good! AMJ has always been supportive of my volunteering efforts; good companies recognize that “outside” work enhances “inside” work.

My advice to anyone wanting to learn new things and connect with others is, get involved. Write an article or reach out to someone who has volunteer experience. Attend a webinar and pitch an idea to the council member who arranged it. Ask IAM about opportunities—associations are manned by a small staff of employees. They may not have a job for you right away but they do need your help, so keep on their radar. Good luck, and see you “out” there!