Australia, here I come!

In a little more than a week I board my first trans-Pacific flight to Australia. Wow! I wasn’t sure if this day would come for me. A few months ago I began a self-granted sabbatical. My position at a previous employer was eliminated and I needed to look for another job. More than that, I felt I needed to explore what would be a next phase in my career.

During this time to rest, recharging and renewal, I was convinced by a friend of mine to apply for the Rotary Club’s Group Study Exchange (GSE). My friend, Noemi Treviño, had participated in a GSE to India a few years back. She had been encouraging me to apply for several years – reminding me every time that GSE was a life-changing opportunity. But due to work and family commitments, I had chosen not to apply – until this year.

I’m grateful that I was selected for this year’s Group Study Exchange to northern and eastern Australia. After much thought and consultation with friends and colleagues, I’ve decided to pivot my career path and focus on helping nonprofits build internal capacity to advance their mission, including creating or growing earned revenue strategies that lead to greater sustainability, autonomy and social impact. This educational trip to Australia will give me an opportunity to talk with government officials, civic leaders, nongovernmental organizations leaders, and others about both economic opportunity strategies for low-income communities, and the role which cross-sector partnerships of the leaders mentioned above play in fostering greater economic inclusion and prosperity.

I will be beginning a new job when I return from our Australia trip (yes, his means the sabbatical will be over). This soon-to-be-announced next step in my career moves me forward in my vocation to support purpose-driven organizations. Now, it’s time to finish my preparation for this trip so I can gain and share the most possible with our new friends and colleagues in Australia.

--Mario Hernández