- Name: Lise-Anne Léveillé
- Age: 31
- Current location: Ottawa, Canada
- Home town: Montreal, Canada
- Education: Master in International Development and Globalization, University of Ottawa, Canada
- Current position: Program Manager, Latin America - USC Canada
- Organization description: USC Canada, is a non-profit international development organization, focused on facilitating programming in the areas of food security, biodiversity, climate change and poverty alleviation.
- Bio: Lise-Anne is a self-confessed activist, who has always had a passion for justice and the environment—and a love of travelling and discovering cultures. After a stint of volunteering in Bolivia and a cultural immersion experience in Guatemala, Lise-Anne decided to do her undergrad in international studies at the University of Montreal. During her degree she took several internship opportunities: one with a small NGO working in food sovereignty, another in microfinance in Benin, and a final stint back in Quebec, helping young people with pre-departure preparedness for their own internships. Lise-Anne then went on to obtain a Master’s in International Development and Globalization from the University of Ottawa, focusing her research on food sovereignty and farmers’ organizations—taking some time out to work and intern with an NGO in Bolivia, and another in Mali. Lise-Anne is now part of USC Canada’s international program team, supporting farmers’ work towards agricultural biodiversity and food sovereignty in Latin America.
- Countries I've worked in: Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras, Ethiopia, Mali, Guatemala, Benin
- Sector / subsectors: International Development
- Areas of expertise: Agroecology, farmers organizations and movements, food sovereignty
- Country: Canada, Honduras
- Region: North America, Central America, South America
- Sector: International development
- Degree subject: International development
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Tell us about your career trajectory. How did you get to where you are now?
Lise-Anne tells us how your personal activism can open up career paths.
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Were there certain internship experiences that shaped your career, or led to other opportunities?
Lise-Anne tells us about her experience with Quebec Sans Frontières, and how opened the door to other opportunities.
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You also did a master’s degree. Tell us about that, and how that helped your career.
Lise-Anne tells us why it took her four years to do her Master’s instead of two, but why it was well worth it.
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What’s a week in the life of a program manager like?
From booking plane tickets, to developing a youth strategy, Lise-Anne gives us insight into her life.
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What do you think got you the job at USC Canada?
Lise-Anne breaks down what she thinks made her stand out.
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Any advice for finding an opportunity abroad?
Beware of tourism disguised as volunteering.
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Can you talk to us about the culture shock of living and working abroad?
Lise-Anne talks about the advantages of group experiences and homestays.
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You mentioned pre-departure training. Can you tell us more about that?
Find out why you shouldn’t bring a calendar to Ethiopia, and other insights into the value of pre-departure training.
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Are there certain abilities or skills that will help someone succeed in this type of international development work?
Good news: Lise-Anne tells us two things you need to succeed in this field. Bad news: They are the exact opposite of each other.
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You have a Master’s in International Development. Talk to us about education in this field - are certain majors better than others?Lise-Anne has a degree in International Development - find out why she says it may not be the best way to go.
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When people think of international development work, they often think of the big players: the UN, Doctors Without Borders, etc. Can you tell us about working at a small NGO?Bigger isn’t necessarily better when it comes to NGOs.
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You mentioned wearing lots of hats. Can you talk to us about the different skill sets needed?Lise-Anne tells us the best way to get your foot in the door of an organization.
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Are there common mistakes you see young people make when entering this field?Lise-Anne shares an eye opening story she heard during a pre-departure training.
