Member Stories
Dr. Shital Vora, Co-Founder and CEO of Global Brigades
Dr. Shital Vora, Ph.D. is the Co-Founder & CEO of Global Brigades, a U.S. based nonprofit that mobilizes undergraduate volunteers for development work in underserved communities around the world. Her colleagues describe her as a highly approachable and humble leader in her field. After speaking with Shital, we could not agree more.
How a Medical Student Sought to Empower Underserved Communities
Shital has been a force from the start. Her education began on a rigorous medical undergrad track, specializing in physical therapy. As many medical students know, med school allows for few breaks or time off, including summers. Shital‘s strong desire to travel abroad to experience the variety of cultures the world has to offer, made her question whether she had chosen the right career.
A chance meeting with a physician known for his selfless work to improve conditions in Honduras offered Shital and a group of fellow students an opportunity to join one of his trips to support a local Honduras medical clinic. This trip proved to be an eye-opening and life-changing experience.
For Shital, the experience changed her perspective on service to communities in need. She immediately understood that direct and actionable solutions could be implemented that offered self-sustaining and long-term positive change for the residents of underserved communities.
“It was a huge eye-opening experience to see the level of poverty in some of these communities, to see the lack of resources, but mostly the potential in these communities… Simple solutions could be the put in place to really lift these communities out of poverty and have them be self-sustainable in the future for generations to come”
Returning from the Honduras trip inspired by the impact they had, Shital and her classmates explored the work of organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and the Peace Corps. However, the license requirements and time commitments were prohibitive. For someone as determined as Shital, the next logical step was to start her own organization to overcome these barriers. Soon after, Global Brigades was born.
Fast-forward ten years to today, over 600 universities have partnered with Global Brigades under Shital’s leadership. Students throughout the U.S. travel to six countries desperate for their knowledge and support to vastly improve the conditions in their struggling communities.
Global Brigades’ mission is to reduce inequalities within the communities they serve by empowering them to rise out of poverty. Their teams of 85,000+ volunteers work to create systems that provide clean water and in-home sanitation, save lives by increasing access to health care, and provide the necessary know-how to develop businesses and community-owned banks that bring greater prosperity to the community. Global Brigades doesn’t just offer a one-time quick fix, they prioritize the long-term nature of their work by positioning dedicated leadership teams local to these communities to ensure sustainable success.
A Global Leader, Mother of Three, Lover of Good Cooking & Indie Rock
What does it take during a pandemic to lead an international organization that depends on student teams to travel to underserved communities offering much-needed solutions? Resilience and a strong belief in your purpose.
The pandemic caused a host of health and personal challenges, yet Shital and her team continued to fulfill Global Brigades’ mission. By pivoting from on-site support of their communities to virtual advisory and consulting solutions, Global Brigades was able to ensure the progress these communities made would continue.
Despite the safety and personal challenges of the pandemic, like many of us, Shital found opportunities during early quarantine to slow down and live in the moment. Shital is the mother of three young children in addition to the ongoing work she performs for Global Brigades with her husband, Pallav, the organization’s General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer. Even prior to 2020, she has always valued the importance of unplugging from her work and being present with family. The effects of the pandemic furthered her conviction that family must be prioritized above all else.
A healthy work-life balance (a theme in her life) means Shital enjoys activities that go beyond the scope of Global Brigades. Cooking has always been a big part of her life. The time during lockdown allowed for a deeper exploration of new recipes, both through food and mixology. The latter would inevitably lead to impromptu family dance parties and virtual concerts. Neighbors knew that if the house was bumping Radiohead or My Morning Jacket, don’t come knocking!
Being a Part of Suite Spotte’s Go-To-Grow Community
For the past few years, Suite Spotte has always been the home away from home for Shital and Pallav. However, over the last year, it has been a special oasis for the two as they alternated in-office shifts amid the quarantine. The workplace amenities and welcoming community have been instrumental in Global Brigades’ continued growth and operations…and in maintaining Shital and Pallav’s sanity.
An example of the value of community, Shital cites her experience with Suite Spotte’s HOT Seat, a monthly time for members to connect and share ideas, knowledge, and perspectives. Shital posed Global Brigades’ challenge of decreased revenue caused by the pandemic at a HOT Seat brainstorming session. Among the suggestions offered by the members was that she explore public relations to increase exposure to the organization.
After the HOT Seat session, Shital gave the ideas offered further consideration and decided to hire a PR agency for Global Brigades. Months later and after a few prominent interviews and features, she confidently stands by the investment.
Access to members who are not part of Global Brigades, yet can relate to the challenges she faces and offer her objective feedback and viable solutions is priceless. She now stresses the value of being part of an engaged coworking community.
“My Drive is really based on where my heart is. And my heart is really focused on enabling my team and the people that we serve.”
The embodiment of perseverance, smarts, compassion, and philanthropy, it’s easy to see why Shital fits in so naturally with Suite Spotte’s Go-To-Grow Community. Members with a need to connect, and a willingness to selflessly share ideas and resources, combined with a desire to belong and be accepted for who they are, create the magic of Suite Spotte’s coworking community. It’s this magic that results in a superior quality work life.
An example of the value of community, Shital cites her experience with Suite Spotte’s HOT Seat, a monthly time for members to connect and share ideas, knowledge, and perspectives. Shital posed Global Brigades’ challenge of decreased revenue caused by the pandemic at a HOT Seat brainstorming session. Among the suggestions offered by the members was that she explore public relations to increase exposure to the organization.
After the HOT Seat session, Shital gave the ideas offered further consideration and decided to hire a PR agency for Global Brigades. Months later and after a few prominent interviews and features, she confidently stands by the investment.
Access to members who are not part of Global Brigades, yet can relate to the challenges she faces and offer her objective feedback and viable solutions is priceless. She now stresses the value of being part of an engaged coworking community.