Empowering our community: Getting to know Talia Dubovi

In April 2023, Humanity in Action is honored to introduce Talia Dubovi, the Interim CEO stepping in for the upcoming year.

Talia grew up in Ithaca, New York, a progressive and welcoming environment, which has undoubtedly shaped the way she sees the world. “It was amazing to grow up in a place that genuinely strove to be open and inclusive,” she reflected. She grew up in a family that valued supporting their community: her mother was a social worker who worked with the families of children with special needs, and her father, who worked at the local university, went out of his way to hire refugees. “They demonstrated different ways of helping, which definitely impacted how I have approached my career,” she noted.

Also from a young age, Talia has loved traveling and exploring foreign cultures. Indeed, her study-abroad experience in Madrid remains one of her favorite college experiences. “For the first time, I could fully immerse myself in a foreign culture, as well as learn about my own country from a completely different perspective,” Talia shared.

One of her favorite anecdotes from that experience, however, is a midnight call back to the US, where she had an important interview with… Humanity in Action! In fact, Talia started her Humanity in Action Fellowship right when she got back from Madrid. “The programs were smaller and we all really got to know each other well,” she recollects. “I built an amazing community.”

The Fellowship focused on the protection of marginalized groups, an issue that remains close to Talia’s heart. Her commitment to these issues is clear in Talia’s work outside of Humanity in Action. At the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Talia initiated and designed a diversity, equity, and inclusion program, which she considers one of her biggest professional accomplishments. She is also involved in equity work at her children’s school.

Soon after her Fellowship ended, Judy Goldstein, Humanity in Action’s Founder, invited Talia to join the American Planning Board, which she later chaired. Talia subsequently joined the Humanity in Action, Inc. Board of Directors … and really never left the community. “You can’t get rid of me!” she joked.

Therefore, when the Humanity in Action Board was looking for an Interim CEO, Talia, with ample experience in strategy creation and organizational management, was an obvious choice. “It was one of those ‘right time & right place’ situations,” Talia smiles as she describes the selection process.

And Talia’s plans for the upcoming year? “For me, the theme of this year is the Senior Fellows,” Talia replies. In other words, Talia, as someone who cares very deeply about people-centered management, is here to empower the community. “I can’t wait to see what Humanity in Action can do if we truly harness the power of our incredible network.” she adds.

In the upcoming year, Talia looks forward to connecting with and contributing to our community. If she is not in office, she is most likely getting baseball lessons from her ten-year-old so she can coach her five-year-old’s little league team. Or hosting friends in her backyard – a group she hopes will soon include Humanity in Action Fellows, friends, and supporters when they find themselves in DC.

Talia, welcome to your new role on the Humanity in Action Team!