Emily Kearns

What is your Name? My Name is Emily Kearns

Do you have a nickname? Friends and family sometimes call me “Em”

What is your position with VOAMI? I am VOAMI’s Operations Support Specialist. I work to improve processes within IT and Operations, so staff are supported in all their IT needs for them to better help those we directly serve.

What brought you to VOAMI? After finishing my yearlong internship teaching history to high school students, I discovered that teaching was not the career path for me, but I still wanted to help people. I decided that finding a job in the nonprofit world was my best option in finding a career helping others, so I worked at the Henry Ford Museum and the Troy Public Library until I came across the Operations Support Specialist job opening at VOAMI. Since then, not only the work we do, but also the people who make up VOAMI, make me so incredibly happy I found this position and was given the opportunity to join the team.

How long have you worked with VOAMI? I have been with VOAMI for 2 years now

What is your biggest takeaway from your job? My biggest takeaway from my job is that there is always something to learn – whether that is learning about the intricacies of how phones are set up or learning about a co-worker’s life experiences – learning is life-long.

What is your biggest challenge? My biggest challenge is reminding myself that making mistakes is just another way to learn something new.

Where is your ideal vacation spot? My ideal vacation spot is some place that has both a city to explore, learn about history, and eat good food, but also has an area nearby to go hiking and get lost in nature. Most recently I travelled to Ireland and was able to experience both a bustling city and the quiet, peacefulness of nature – I highly recommend visiting if you also enjoy both.

What is your favorite book? I don’t have one favorite book, but some of my favorite and top-rated books on Goodreads include: The Storyteller’s Secret, Circe, and Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

What fills your time outside of work? Outside of work I spend much time with my fiancé Dan and our dog Myrtle. We love exploring Metro Detroit and spending time with friends and family. I also love to dance, read, travel, and volunteer with the ACLU of Michigan.

Who is your hero? Why? My hero is Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I first watched a documentary about RBG in 2018 when I was finishing up my internship. That documentary inspired me to follow my dreams of helping others in a more direct way outside of teaching and taking the leap of applying to nonprofit jobs rather than teaching jobs. Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s courage to be herself, step outside the norm, and fight for justice and equity is what I aspire to do and be.