Paul Schulz
CEO, American Red Cross Los Angeles
Red Cross
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
Went to college.
Got a graduate degree.
Became a consultant, but ended up wanting to help run the companies!
Joined one of those companies.
Joined another company. Took a sabbatical to reassess what I really wanted to do.
Met so many great people working for non profits. Applied for a CEO position and got it!
Education
High School
Central High
Central High
Career
CEO, American Red Cross Los Angeles
I lead the Red Cross activities around mission, communications and fundraising in Los Angeles.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Non-Profit Organizations
Business
Accomplishing Goals
Day to Day
You would see a very full day starting early to beat traffic across town. We would meet with staff and volunteers to hear about key issues affecting their ability to deliver our mission. We might meet up with board members or other community leaders to hear how we are doing from their perspective and also to share with them major programs we are enacting, like Prepare SoCal, to get ready for major disasters in our area. It might end with meeting volunteers in one of our 14 offices.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for professionals
Jump in and volunteer with an organization that you respect. You will learn so much and will then hear about opportunities that will arise if you end up liking the place. Read as much as you can about the organization. Try and find connections within the non profit based on your friends, those you volunteer with, or those you meet in the hall. The more people you meet and get to know the better your odds of landing a job there are. I used this same strategy when I was interviewing for my position.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
"Don't take time off. You will be out of the market and will not be able to get back in."
