In this episode of the cityCURRENT Show, Andrew Bartolotta interviews Gretchen Villegas, a dynamic global development executive and passionate advocate for social impact. Gretchen shares her extensive experience in fostering partnerships that drive sustainable changes across communities, governments, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations.
Key Points:
🌍 Early Inspiration: Gretchen’s global interest began during her undergraduate studies, where she spent three and a half years abroad, immersing herself in different cultures.
🚀 Peace Corps Experience: Her time in Suriname shaped her approach to social impact, emphasizing the importance of listening to community needs and facilitating processes rather than imposing solutions.
🔍 Finding Purpose: Gretchen’s purpose is to be a vehicle for those in need, focusing on providing access to essential services like education, clean water, and housing.
🧩 Triple Win Strategy: She advocates for a collaborative approach involving nonprofits, corporations, and governments to achieve sustainable social impact. This synergy ensures that solutions are socially beneficial, environmentally sound, and economically viable.
🌱 Creating Wealth: Gretchen emphasizes the importance of creating wealth in vulnerable communities to ensure long-term sustainability and reduce poverty.
🌐 Global Development: She highlights the importance of understanding local contexts and building relationships to foster trust and effective collaboration.
Learn more about Gretchen: https://www.gretchenvillegas.net/
