Meet Jon!

Storm Corps Team Leaders: Getting to Know You Questionnaire

The Basics
1. Name: Jon Beekman
2. Nickname(s): Beek
3. Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
4. Where you live now: Arlington, VA
5. Favorite thing about where you live now: Fireworks on the 4th of July with the monuments in the background, Annual Cherry Blossom Festival
6. College(s) attended and degree(s) received: Arizona State University (B.S. - Economics, Finance, B.A. - Spanish), London Guildhall University (UK), Universidad de Granada (Spain), Universidad de Belgrano (Argentina), ITAM (Mexico)

Work
7. United Way where you work: United Way of America
8. Job title: Manager - Business Development, Finance and Technology
9. Work accomplishment you are most proud of: Making the people around me laugh on a daily basis (yes - usually at me…).  I have enjoyed helping the organization expand its usage of webinars as a key communication tool, and am proud that in so doing, we have saved many donor dollars.
10. What first brought you to United Way: I originally started working with Fondo Unido, the Mexico City United Way Affiliate while I was on a Fulbright Grant.  I later attended the International World Assembly in Puerto Rico, where I met Brook Manville and was recruited to come to UWA for just the summer… and here I am 18 months later.
11. Why you stay with United Way: I love what I do.  I like the people I work with, the projects I work on, and the flexibility to continually grow as a young professional.  I like knowing that our work impacts many and has a multiplied effect on communities around the US.

Storm Corps
12. Why you applied to be a Team Leader: I am so excited to have the opportunity to work with college students on this project and get involved in direct hands-on service again.  I feel like we can sometimes become a bit detached from the people and communities that our work eventually benefits when we spend all of our time behind a desk.  This week is going to be a great way to reconnect with the "improved lives" piece of the mission of United Way and I am looking forward to helping craft a great leadership development opportunity for all of the participants.
13. First reaction when you found out you were accepted: Happy happy, joy joy!
14. What you are most excited about: Working with young, enthusiastic future leaders.
15. What you are least excited about: Having to come back behind my desk after the week is over.
16. What you could step up and do really well if needed: Helping people forget that they really, really need a shower.
17. What you would rather not have to do: I am going to steal Jen's response: "Wake up super early.  I am so a night owl.  B\ut, it goes without saying that we'll have to be up early!"
18. What you are hoping to get out of Storm Corps:I want to walk away from the program knowing that the participants have an entirely different perspective on what it means to be a young professional in the United Way System.  I want to leave Storm Corps excited and energized by the progress we made and by the lives we touched while we were in the Gulf Coast.

Fun
19. Secret – or not so secret - talent(s) you are willing to share: My sense of humor and energy.  I also like to think of myself as McGyver Jr.
20. Hobbies: Travel, travel, and travel.  I also like to travel, hike, play sports, watch movies, write business plans, read good books, learn about new gadgets, camp, etc.
21. People and/or animals you live with: Three roommates - unfortunately no pets.
22. Things you want/plan to do in the near future: Going to Ethiopia in April - hope to circumnavigate the globe on a six month backpacking adventure sometime within the next few years.
23. Things you want/plan to do in a while: Own my own business.
24. Three adjectives that best describe you: Funny, Adventurous, Creative
25. Three adjectives that definitely would not describe you: Boring, Timid, Technophobic
26. Personal motto or mantra: "If you don't do it this year, you'll only be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller
27. What you are most proud of:Realizing that investment banking was not my calling in life, and making the switch to a career that I find exciting and fufilling.

Favorites
28. Food: All Mexican food, Chicken Panag, pizza, Marshmallow Peeps.
29. Book: My trusty travel books, Good to Great, Lord of the Rings
30. TV show: 24, MXC - Most Extreme Elimination Challenge, Amazing Race, McGyver, A-Team
31. Movie: Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, School of Rock, Matrix, Fox and the Hound, Napoleon Dynamite
32. Quote: "You know, like nunchuck skills, bowhunting skills, computer hacking skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills. "  or "Tina, you fat lard, come get some DINNER!... Tina, eat. Food. Eat the FOOD!"

Comments

[Jenn]

you are a tech geek with NO picture??? COME ON!