As a way to promote the incredible work our Host Organizations are doing and to spread the word of the substantial impact Atlas Corps Fellows has on their teams. Today, we are sharing a story of National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) and their experience with an Atlas Corps Alum Pratyush (Class 38, India).
Host Organization: National Academy of Public Administration
National Academy of Public Administration is a chartered non-partisan nonprofit organization providing expert advice to government leaders in building and managing more effective, efficient, equitable, accountable, and transparent organizations and helping government leaders solve their most critical management challenges.
Fellow Supervisor: Kaitlyn Blume
At Atlas Corps, we have a tradition of stating our “Five Facts” when introducing ourselves to new people. What are your five facts?
Name: Kaitlyn Blume
Hometown: Kitty Hawk, North Carolina Role at Organization: Director of Fellow Engagement Social Issue/Interest Area: Social Equity Fun fact: I’m the President of the Kiwanis Club of Alexandria which is a local volunteer-led organization that supports the children and youth of my community. |
Why did you decide to host an Atlas Corps Fellow?
We were looking to have someone come in for a year, help us stand up a new initiative, and bring a fresh perspective to our organization. We were excited to also have someone bring best practices from another country.
Why did you choose Pratyush as your Atlas Corps Fellow?
Pratyush had experience in fundraising on the ground level in India. We were excited to see what ideas he would have for our organization from database development to communications strategies.
How has Pratyush contributed to your team? How has his presence had an impact on your team’s dynamic?
Pratyush not only brings fun facts about India, cultural insights, and suggestions for the best food, he has also helped us push our thinking in terms of fundraising strategies. He has brought new ideas to how to position our social media messages, how to create different graphics, who our audience is, and what funders we could be reaching to.
How will your Fellow’s contributions and insights impact your organization in the long run?
Pratyush has been instrumental in standing up a fundraising effort at our organization. He helped to create the fundraising plan, set up our fundraising database, organize our donor base, and create our outreach strategy. He took an idea from conception through execution and now we have been successfully raising funds for the past year.
What has Pratyush taught you? Have you learned anything special about his culture?
Pratyush has taught me how to stay positive and slow down. He is always telling me about the latest meditation strategy or resolution he has for himself. He has different programs and playlists he recommends for mindfulness and I really value his focus on that.
Fellow: Pratyush (Class 38, India)
At Atlas Corps, we have a tradition of stating our “Five Facts” when introducing ourselves to new people. What are your five facts?
Name: Pratyush Soday
Hometown: Hyderabad, India Role at Organization: Fundraising & Development Fellow Social Issue/Interest Area: Partnership Building Fun fact: I can cook my way to achieving world peace. |
What is your role at your Host Organization?
At the National Academy of Public Administration I execute and manage the fundraising efforts to help fund the Academy’s Grand Challenges initiative. Focused on building a broad base of individual and institutional philanthropic partners, my chief responsibilities include strategic messaging, prospect research, moves management, and stewardship. On the strategy front, I support the Director of Development and the CEO by providing inputs on fundraising performance and external philanthropic trends to help set fundraising goals and strategize action.
My other responsibilities include supporting the Director of Fellow Engagement in Fellow outreach and engagement, planning and executing events such as panel discussions and conferences, and marketing communication such as social media and newsletters.
How is your experience with your Host Organization impacting your perspective?
Even from an outsider’s perspective, the events of 2020 have been some of the most challenging times for the U.S. and I perhaps never experienced a time where the citizens rely so much on its government for a resolution. Serving in such a period at an organization that is driven to make government work, and work for all, renewed my trust and appreciation in government institutions. Moreover, working on a forward looking and inspiring project like the Grand Challenges that aims to proactively address some of the most critical challenges in governance has certainly introduced me a totally new standard of public administration.
How has your experience with your supervisor impacted your perspective?
Kaitlyn is someone with a phenomenal work ethic who always has room for fun. My biggest learnings from her are, the way she creates an environment of support and trust while giving her team the confidence to try new things, and the way she can break down some of the most complex projects into simple actions.
How will you build upon the skills and knowledge gained during your Fellowship once you return to your home country?
For someone who finds his purpose in fostering partnerships, the Fellowship helped underscore the importance of perhaps the biggest piece in social impact partnerships i.e. the government. Upon returning to my home country, I would endeavor to understand further, the role of government institutions in driving development and help organizations work more collaboratively with institutions of public administration.
More about Atlas Corps
Atlas Corps partners with mission-driven organizations (nonprofit, private, and government) to facilitate a professional exchange program for the world’s best emerging social change leaders to live and serve in the United States for a 12-month Fellowship. The Atlas Corps network currently includes more than 1,100 professionals from 110 countries who have served at 300 organizations.
Interested in becoming a Host Organization for an Atlas Corps Fellow? Fill out Host Interest Form.
Photos from NAPA’s personal archive