So you want to work in Global Development? Here's how.

GDP - The Global Development Primer

So you want a career in Global Development? You asked your professor about what to do next, and their response was underwhelming? A lot of that going around. This is why Gretchen Villegas is the person to talk to. In this interview with GDP, Gretchen shares some powerful advice on how to get involved in global development. Sharing stories of her own career, Gretchen spells out why more students should be interested in a career in global development, and how to get there. Not only is career in global development rewarding, it is needed now more than ever before.

Gretchen Villegas is a 25+ year veteran global development professional specializing in mission-driven innovative program designs through partnership development, impact scaling, and revenue growth. Gretchen has professional experience working in collaboration with both non-profit and for-profit partners in the implementation of local country programs that support vulnerable communities in Latin America, Africa and Asia, with a portfolio totaling over 320M+.

Gretchen has wide-ranging expertise in executive level leadership of global program portfolio effectiveness through evidence and data, intentional program design to optimize impacts for vulnerable children and their families, rigorous research to learn and adapt in program implementation, and revenue strategies to scale and enhance reach of programmatic initiatives.

She has secured funding and implemented projects for Institutional donors including the United States Agency for International Development and the United States Department of Agriculture, Foundations including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and MasterCard Foundation and worked closely with private sector partners General Mills, Cargill Animal Nutrition and Danone to name a few.

Gretchen is fully bi-lingual in Spanish and a collaborative leader, skilled facilitator, and team builder. She has a proven track record of bringing together consortiums of stakeholders for social impacts, including the private sector, to achieve common goals. She is driven by data and analytics and believes that evidence-based programming and for-profit partnership is essential for effective and sustainable development in the long-term.

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