Mobilizing Millennials Around the World
by Anne Tillema
I joined Mobilize.org as its Director of Development at the beginning of May 2010 and my journey to Mobilize.org has been a long and interesting one.
I grew up in Columbia, MO and attended Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA and I’ve always been active in politics and considered myself to be a citizen of the world.
I participated in my first student exchange at the age of 13 for 3 weeks in England and I was hooked. I completed my second exchange the next year at the age of 14 for 3 weeks in Japan and just 2 months after I graduated from high school, I left to spend a year living in Liege, Belgium as a Rotary International Exchange Student. While attending Grinnell College, I made regular trips back to Belgium – a country that was feeling more and more like home. Then, I participated in a 6-month study abroad program in Dakar, Senegal.
Straight out of college, I became the Executive Director of IFLRY (International Federation of Liberal Youth) in Brussels, Belgium. While working for IFLRY, I had the opportunity to organize over 12 international seminars and 6 statutory meetings with young people from all over the world. These events were held in places like Cape Town, South Africa, Kiev, Ukraine, Helsinki, Finland, and Recife, Brazil. I worked directly with the Council of Europe, the EU and other international bodies representing the views of young liberals. I also had the opportunity to plan multiple weeklong seminars at the European Youth Centers in Strasbourg, France and Budapest, Hungary.
After spending over 3 1/2 years with IFLRY, I moved back to the United States and joined the DNC as the Executive Director of Democrats Abroad; the party organization for American Democrats living oversees. After one year with Democrats Abroad, I decided to switch gears and moved over to work in fundraising. I worked for 6 years as a Direct Marketing fundraiser with 2 different consulting firms and had a total of 20 different clients over the course of that time, working with groups like Amnesty International, DNC, Earthjustice, Greenpeace, LCV, NARAL and many more.
In the 7+ years that I’ve lived in Washington, DC, I’ve come to know the city well and I love to introduce others to the things I love. I’m always on the lookout for cheap and/or free activities in DC and I’m the one who plans all things social for my friends. I also love to share cheap hints with my friends and colleagues. (Follow me at @atillema for my tips!)
I bring an interesting combination of international youth work, extensive fundraising experience and a love and appreciation of Washington, DC to the team and I’m excited to have joined the staff at Mobilize.org.
Follow Anne and her tips on Twitter @atillema, #thriftyinDC.
