Julian Posada '97
For Julian Posada ’97, there’s no difference between working in the nonprofit or for-profit sector. In both situations he challenges himself to find ways to be extremely engaged in social impact while bringing his energy, passion and business creativity to any position he holds.
Posada is the chief operating and enterprise officer at The Resurrection Project, a Chicago-based community organization that addresses issues ranging from housing and financial empowerment to education and immigration services. Through this role, he leads the growth and expansion of The Resurrection Project’s social enterprise ventures, though he doesn’t feel that he’s more involved in the community now than he was when he worked in the for-profit sector.
“Whether it was helping launch Hoy Newspaper for the Tribune or as President of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, I always believed we had to engage local community organizations to be successful,” he says. “Finding common ground and creating partnerships that create synergies was paramount to being successful.”
Posada points to Kellogg as providing an exceptional platform for facilitating his drive to work in social impact. Through Kellogg’s experiential learning curriculum, Posada had the unique opportunity to travel to Costa Rica and work with the Bribri indigenous community to help normalize the production of organic chocolate. Not only was the trip a singular learning opportunity, but it reinforced something that Posada’s parents had instilled in him as Colombian immigrants: always recognize your own privilege and how to use it to benefit others.
“You have to have the will to get involved and lead within social impact,” he says. “There are opportunities all around you, but you have to have the will. And, especially if you’re from Kellogg, you have to create impact at the leadership level.”
Posada believes there is no excuse for a Kellogg graduate not to push to be the best in the field in either sector, though he does feel strongly that nonprofits need sharp business minds as much as any for-profit company.
“I use my business knowledge and community grounding to have a greater awareness of how a decision impacts the top, the bottom the middle and all the sides.” he explains. “Explaining complex business strategies in finance operations or marketing requires sensitivity and a high level of rigor to move the enterprise.”
Posada is the chief operating and enterprise officer at The Resurrection Project, a Chicago-based community organization that addresses issues ranging from housing and financial empowerment to education and immigration services. Through this role, he leads the growth and expansion of The Resurrection Project’s social enterprise ventures, though he doesn’t feel that he’s more involved in the community now than he was when he worked in the for-profit sector.
“Whether it was helping launch Hoy Newspaper for the Tribune or as President of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, I always believed we had to engage local community organizations to be successful,” he says. “Finding common ground and creating partnerships that create synergies was paramount to being successful.”
Posada points to Kellogg as providing an exceptional platform for facilitating his drive to work in social impact. Through Kellogg’s experiential learning curriculum, Posada had the unique opportunity to travel to Costa Rica and work with the Bribri indigenous community to help normalize the production of organic chocolate. Not only was the trip a singular learning opportunity, but it reinforced something that Posada’s parents had instilled in him as Colombian immigrants: always recognize your own privilege and how to use it to benefit others.
“You have to have the will to get involved and lead within social impact,” he says. “There are opportunities all around you, but you have to have the will. And, especially if you’re from Kellogg, you have to create impact at the leadership level.”
Posada believes there is no excuse for a Kellogg graduate not to push to be the best in the field in either sector, though he does feel strongly that nonprofits need sharp business minds as much as any for-profit company.
“I use my business knowledge and community grounding to have a greater awareness of how a decision impacts the top, the bottom the middle and all the sides.” he explains. “Explaining complex business strategies in finance operations or marketing requires sensitivity and a high level of rigor to move the enterprise.”