Sonia de Almeida: From Private Sector to Afesu
With a background in business and over 35 years in the corporate world, the executive details her transition to the non-profit sector.
In an interview on Marketing - The Podcast, Sonia de Almeida reflects on her 35-year corporate career in planning and project management. She explains how her business background and family history in volunteering paved the way to leading Afesu as its executive director.
Sonia de Almeida, executive director of Afesu, discussed her career journey prior to taking the helm at the organization during a conversation with Bruno Gimenes on Marketing - The Podcast. Holding a degree in business administration, she built her professional foundation in the private sector while continuously engaging in social projects and education.
Corporate experience and volunteering
Throughout her career in the private sector, Almeida accumulated more than 35 years of experience focusing on planning, budgeting, and project development, traveling to regional hubs for business development. A close connection to volunteering and education remained constant throughout her professional life. "I always worked in the private sector, but I was always involved with volunteer associations. I was always volunteering, coming from a family with a strong volunteering tradition. I always loved it and always had one foot in the field of education," she explains. Her connection to teaching spanned corporate training, early childhood education, and years as a university lecturer.
Transition and leadership at Afesu
The opportunity to permanently transition to the non-profit sector arose from an invitation to manage one of Afesu's units. After a year in that role, Almeida joined the organization's executive leadership. "And so I have been the executive director of Afesu for 4 and a half years, at age 59," she shares. Her corporate background serves as the cornerstone of her management of the institution: "What really helps me work at an NGO and lead this NGO today is precisely all the experience I gained in the private sector," Almeida emphasizes. In the video above, viewers can watch the full conversation with Bruno Gimenes, exploring further topics surrounding the organization's history and projects.