Careers

“Monitoring and evaluation brings about social justice, in my point of view. It does this through making projects, programs, processes and policies transparent and data-driven. So then, programs and policymakers are accountable . . .  Through Heller, I learned that injustice is embedded in every aspect of modern society, the historical contexts of these issues, the consequences that we face today and what is at stake for future generations. I also learned development best practices to work in the field.” 

Learn more about Jigme’s work. 

"Peacebuilding gave me a different way to think about conflict. Before, I used to just analyze conflict for understanding. Now, I think about root causes, how we can approach them to improve living conditions, and how we can take into consideration people that don’t agree with our perspectives. Heller gave me a new view, a deeper understanding."

Learn more about Fernanda's work.

Topol Fellow in Nonviolence Practice 2016-2017

“I strive to bring a conflict sensitive lens to my work” every day, Szendro says. “I am adapting the principles and tools of conflict resolution as I work to build partnerships for change implementation.”

As a policy analyst in the DOC’s Intergovernmental Affairs Unit, she serves as a bridge between the DOC and external partners and oversight agencies, such as the city council, the mayor’s office and the state legislature. A new project she’s excited about is defining and measuring culture change for staff members as the DOC counts down to the closing of Rikers by 2026.

Learn more about Julia's work. 

“My interest in international development really stemmed from a deep rooted desire to make a meaningful impact on issues like poverty and economic inequality. I was already working in the banking sector in Nigeria before Heller, but over the years, I realized that I’d yet to combine my expertise to drive positive change . . . What set Heller apart was its commitment to social justice and ethical approaches to development work.”

Learn more about Adebanjo’s work. 

“I knew that I wanted to be in this field where I was with other people who were searching for solutions, or trying to find ways to innovate and connect on these human rights issues . . . Heller is a place that pushes beyond what we see in front of us to imagine things in a different way . . . At the end of the day, SID is for practitioners.”

Learn more about Madeline's work.

"When I was young my dream was to work for the United Nations. When I got to Heller, I still had that goal. But the more I studied about international development, the more I realized that the bureaucracy would drive me crazy. I want to see direct impact. So that’s where I started thinking about this idea. I reached out to many companies that had the resources to implement my idea, but nobody wanted to do it. So I started thinking, maybe I could do it. And here we are, three years later."

Learn more about Wafaa's work.

Sheikhsaraf grew up in Iran during the Iraq-Iran war in the 1980s, which raged throughout her childhood. “The trauma is still with me. But that was motivation for me to work on humanitarian activities and conflict prevention and post-conflict healing, for the betterment of people’s lives.”

“When you’re at war, you do not see the other side. It’s not easy. But I started talking to my classmates from Iraq. We became friends and understood that the fear we experienced was the same. Having classmates from all over the world helps you to get rid of some of the biases you have.”

Learn more about Shadi's work.

Francois’ coffee shop’s name, Yego, a word that means “yes” in Kinyarwanda, the language of Rwanda, perfectly sums up the attitude that Francois brings to the shop and his customers every day. It’s this positivity that fueled the resilience of Francois’ family and community during and in the aftermath of the genocide. Today, the coffee is grown and processed by his family in Rwanda, then imported and roasted by Francois every week.

Learn more about Francois' work.

"I came to Heller with lots of practical experience, but lacking the theoretical part. The subjects that I studied at the COEX program widened my knowledge very much and enabled me to understand and relate the practice to theories. The professors were so kind and welcoming and of course extremely professional and knowledgeable. The diversity at Heller and the ability to interact, study and hear cases from different countries converted my interest from focusing only on Sudan into the whole world."

Read more about Tarig's work. 

“At Heller, there’s the opportunity to be proactive and create your own path through the programs. I leveraged what professors had to offer with their experiences, had the experience of teaching and grading, and took advantage of being in Boston to work with NGOs there. I wanted [my master's degree] to be practitioner-focused and wanted to do both conflict management and international development. Heller was a great place to combine that.”

Read more about Rebecca's work. 

It took just a short negotiation class with Alain Lempereur, then director of the Master’s in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence program, to convince Naveed to leave his home country of Afghanistan to pursue a degree at Heller.

“I realized those were the skills I needed to be successful,” says Naveed, who was a foreign service officer for the Afghan government when Lempereur arrived in Kabul to provide training to junior diplomats. “War damaged almost everything in my country including institutions. Coming from a post-war country, it was always about bringing reform for a better future.”

Read more about Naveed's work.