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Service Spotlights: Citi Leaders Share Their Volunteer Experiences with Junior Achievement

August 21, 2017

In 2017 Citi and the Citi Foundation are celebrating 30 years of partnership with JA Worldwide. Many Citi senior leaders serve on Junior Achievement (JA) boards with the goal of helping to advance their many programs and enabling growth and progress in our communities by offering their experiences and knowledge. A few Citi volunteers shared their reasons for giving back with JA. Francesco Vanni d'Archirafi
CEO, Citi Holdings, Board Chair, Junior Achievement Worldwide

Why do you serve on Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide's Board of Directors?
We are helping to solve one of the greatest challenges facing our world today, global youth unemployment, which is currently at an all-time high. We have discovered through numerous studies that children who participate in JA programs are three times more likely to become entrepreneurs after completing their studies. And by becoming self-employed themselves, they end up creating jobs for others.

How long have you been a JA board member?
I first became involved in Argentina in 1998, after which I launched JA in Spain. After serving as JA Chairman in Spain, I went on to fill the same role in Italy and Portugal, before becoming Chairman of JA Europe. I've been with JA Worldwide since 2007, when I first served on JA's Global Board, then became Vice Chair, and now Chairman. I've also volunteered to teach JA programs in the schools from Harlem in New York to the West End of London.

Tell us your favorite "JA moment" or memory.
My favorite JA moment is always in the classroom with the kids.

What do the relationships you've formed through JA mean to you?
Every relationship I've built within JA is of high impact, whether that be serving as a Board member at the country, regional or global level, or as a volunteer in the classroom, or on a number of occasions, as judge of the "Company of the Year" Program.

How would you describe your experiences with JA? Incredibly rewarding

Julie Monaco and Junior AchievementJulie Monaco
Global Head of Corporate & Investment Banking Coverage for Public Sector, Chairman of the Board, Junior Achievement USA

Why do you serve on Junior Achievement (JA) USA's Board of Directors?
I believe passionately in leveraging my professional expertise to advance the organization's mission of empowering young people to own their economic success. I have pushed to attract more technical resources to the Board (including establishing a new Technology board sub-committee) as JA looks to evolve to a blended technology learning model.

How long have you been a JA board member?
My involvement with the Board of JA USA dates back to 2010. I became secretary in 2014, Vice Chair in 2015 and Chairperson in June 2016.

How do volunteers help advance JA's mission?
For almost 100 years, JA USA has leveraged financial support and private sector volunteerism to provide mentorship and coaching on entrepreneurship, work force readiness and financial literacy. JA volunteers who take a vested interest in the students are JA's competitive advantage and one of the main reason why the organization has continued to grow when measured by the number of students it reaches every year.

What is your favorite "JA moment" or memory?
Every June winners of the JA Company Program competition from around the country come to Washington to demonstrate the businesses they created and what they learned in the process. It makes all the work we do on the Board come to life and demonstrates the impact that the JA programs have at an extremely formative time in these young people's lives. The students also get to engage with the Board and tell us about what the mentorship experience meant to them. One year, a young gentleman stood up and explained that he had been homeless while going through the 13 week Company Program and that the friends and mentors he made in the program helped him stay on track and focus on what he is capable of achieving as opposed to his current circumstances. Hearing directly from the students is always my favorite activity within JA.

In one word, how would you describe your volunteering experience? Inspirational

Carmen Haddad and Junior AchievementCarmen Haddad
Business and Governance Head for Saudi Arabia, Private Bank Head for Gulf Egypt & Levant in MENA region, INJAZ Al-Arab Regional Board member

Why do you serve on INJAZ Al-Arab's Board of Directors?
Because I strongly believe in the skills that the Injaz Al-Arab programs foster and I think that the economic situation and the turmoil in this region will have an important impact on our youth. Unemployment amongst Arab youth currently stands at among the highest in the world. With a gap between the education system and job market in the Arab World, Arab youth need to take on the role of job creators themselves, which is why innovative educational programs based on developing entrepreneurial skills and mindsets are needed now more than ever.

How long have you been a JA board member?
I joined the INJAZ Al-Arab regional board in 2014. Before joining the board I was an active volunteer with Injaz Al-Arab.

Tell us your favorite "JA moment" or memory.
I had the honor of joining the judging panel at the annual INJAZ Al-Arab Young Arab Entrepreneurs Competition. The event brought together teams from 13 Arab countries. It was an incredible experience to witness this next generation of young entrepreneurs presenting their business ideas with the ambition to succeed and create new opportunities for overcoming unemployment, not only for themselves, but also for others, through their enterprises.

What do these relationships with students mean to you?
When I see these ambitious students driving innovative ideas and expressing a desire to improve their financial future, I feel confident that our partnership is playing a role in providing economic opportunities to prepare them to thrive in the region. The interactions with these students leave me feeling energized and more hopeful about the prospect of achieving a better future for our young people.

In one word, how would you describe your volunteering experience. Inspiring

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