- Name: Katherine Arblaster
- Age: 27
- Current location: Toronto, Canada
- Home town: Whitby, ON, Canada
- Education: B. Comm International Management
- Current position: Project Manager & Consultant, Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA)
- Organization description: MEDA is an international economic development organization whose mission is to create business solutions to poverty.
- Bio: Katherine is passionate about harnessing the strength of business to create social change. After graduating with a Bachelors of Commerce from the University of Ottawa, which included a semester studying abroad at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam in the Netherlands, she embarked on an internship-turned-consultancy in Nicaragua. There, she worked at a microfinance institution, MiCrédito, focused on serving the rural poor. The business and social missions aligned at MiCrédito, where profits could be generated while improving the livelihoods of the poorest people in the country. From there, Katherine moved into a coordinator role with Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), a partner non-governmental organization working closely with MiCrédito. She now is a project manager and consultant, with director of investment responsibilities. Katherine’s responsibilities include day-to-day project and people management, partnering with small and mid-sized businesses to improve operational and management performance and developing partnerships with investment funds to increase access to finance for businesses in East Africa.
- Countries I've worked in: Nicaragua, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Peru, Ukraine
- Sector / subsectors: International business, international development
- Areas of expertise: Impact investment; Small and Medium Enterprise development; private-sector development, microfinance product development; project management.
- Country: Canada
- Region: North America, Central America
- Sector: Business, Finance & Banking, International development
- Degree subject: Business & commerce
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Can you tell us about yourself and your role?
Katherine tells us about her work with businesses as part of working in international development.
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Describe a typical week in your working life.
Katherine helps businesses thrive and grow, and loves to watch communities transform as the result of her efforts.
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Tell us about your career trajectory. How did you get to where you are today?
Katherine talks about why she is so happy she opted for a degree in international business over international development, and the importance of networking.
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How did you transition from business to international development?
Learning the language of international development helped Katherine position her business skills, and identify areas for self-directed learning.
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What do you enjoy about international work?
From running the Kilimanjaro marathon with her Tanzanian colleague to learning about how grapes are grown in Ukraine, Katherine loves all aspects of her work with MEDA.
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What are some of the challenges you have faced working abroad?
Katherine didn't speak a word of Spanish when she decided to move to Nicaragua for a year.
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What skills and abilities does it take to succeed in international development work?
When Russia annexed Ukraine and farmers lost their markets, Katherine's team had to adapt, be resourceful and help find solutions.
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What types of roles in international development are possible entry points for recent business graduates?
Katherine tells us how to break out of the internship cycle and land a job in international development.
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What is the sector expectation in terms of degrees?
There are roles for different degrees within the industry. It is about finding where you fit, and what you're most passionate about.
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Any last tips or practical steps that someone can take to break into a career in international development?
Meet as many people as you can, as often as you can.
