Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. We frequently spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.
This Q & A is with Jill Van den Brule, Humanitarian & Social Entrepreneur at MPOWERD. Jill is innovating her field of work by devoting her life to social good and education as an international development expert with 15+ years experience in programming and policy related to human rights, education and emergency relief with a focus on strategic communications/partnership development.
1) What was a pivotal momentum of reinvention for you?
The pivotal momentum of reinvention for me was the time I spent living in Haiti.However, there were three deeply difficult and interconnected moments that led me on this new path. The first was the death of my dear friend Jan Olaf, a German diplomat, who died in the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010 while working for the UN. The night of the quake, I was with my war photographer friend Chris Hondros, who was called there to cover the tragedy and died valiantly in Libya the following year. I went to Haiti as soon as UNICEF could deploy me just after the quake as a homage to my friend Jan Olof, spurred on by Chris’ hauntingly beautiful photos and compelling accounts. My 3 months in that magical country quickly turned into 2 pivotal years. Witnessing firsthand the entrepreneurial spirit of young people was key in launching me on a new path as an entrepreneur. I was driven to join my humanitarian experience with my desire to find disruptive solutions to global problems. Shortly after my return from Haiti, I lost another dear friend named Sasha. He was another major inspiration in my life. The memories of these three extraordinary human beings, who graced my life, have propelled me forward ever since. They are also constant reminders of Emerson’s eloquent words on success which resonate deeply, “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of the intelligent people and the affection of children.…to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that one life has breathed easier because you lived here. This is to have succeeded.”
2) Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?
One of my greatest mentors has been my dear friend Cristiana Falcone (Lady Sorrell) who is a leader in media, business and social development sectors, a Senior Adviser to the Chairman of the WEF, Board member of Viacom and Revlon and life-long humanitarian with whom I studied at the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy. When I first excitedly went to her with the Luci lantern to ask for her advice on creating an NGO, she immediately saw its potential and wrote out a cheque to field test the lantern in Haiti and advised me to turn this endeavor into a social business. Thus was born the B-Corps MPOWERD. None of this would have happened without her guidance, support and wisdom.
3) What is your biggest goal right now?
My biggest goal right now is to devote my energy to projects and people making a positive impact on the world, but also to make the time for my family, namely my two beautiful stepchildren who are my biggest drive and source of inspiration.
4) How did you get your first job? How did you jump to your second job?
I got my first job at the US Fund for UNICEF thanks to classmate who understood my passion for children’s rights and asked her mother, a notable Philippine diplomat, to share my CV. It was an absolute dream come true as I had wanted to work for the UN since I was a child attending the Lycée Français in New York where I had first been exposed to UNICEF’s work on the famines in Ethiopia and Uganda through films and that little orange “Trick or Treat for UNICEF Box” which first showed me how I learn to do my part to help. I was encouraged to apply for my second job as a contractor for the U.S Department of State through a dear friend and SIPA grad at Columbia. My year working on the international visitor program afforded me the incredible me to travel all around the U.S on cultural and political programs with dignitaries from all over the world. This year of travel, involved everything from briefings at the White House to home visits with local political leaders in the deep South.
5) How did you feel on your 30th birthday? What were you doing at that time?
I went skydiving for the first time for my 30 th and celebrated my birthday on a “peniche,” a little barge on the Seine. I was living in Paris and working for UNESCO. At the time, I was traveling extensively for my work as an education specialist focused on inclusive education I was also following my passion of making documentary films on human rights issues. The culmination of one of these projects was a film I wrote called, “A World for Inclusion” which featured the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. At 30, I had already experienced the failure of divorce and thought I understood the world and my place in it. However, looking back I can say that I was only at the beginning of my own hero’s journey, which has humbly made me see the world through new, more authentic eyes.
6) How do you unplug? How often do you unplug?
I unplug by being immersed in nature in my home in the Flemish countryside which is the perfect base for traveling around Europe as it’s just outside of Brussels but far enough from the big city to unplug. After having lived for long periods of time in Paris, New York as well as other metropolitan cities, I developed a longing and appreciation for being close to nature. Here I can also practice meditation in a quiet environment. I mediate at least once daily and try to do so twice when I am particularly motivated. Meditation is my most effective means of unplugging, but I also love to indulge in a good book or in an intense bikram yoga class.
7) What is your keep me going quote?
I often turn to Plato’s words of wisdom, which are anchored in Greek mythology especially when I see the devastation we are doing to our planet and our fellow men. It allows me to rekindle my faith in humanity – reminding me also that darkness does not exist without light. “The souls of people, on their way to Earth-life, pass through a room full of lights; each takes a taper–often only a spark–to guide it in the dim country of this world. But some souls, by rare fortune, are detained longer–and have time to grab a handful of tapers, which they weave into a torch. These are the torch-bearers of humanity– it’s poets, seers, and saints, who lead and lift the race out of darkness, toward the light. They are the law- givers and saviors, the light-bringers, way-showers and truth -tellers, and without them, humanity would lose its way in the dark.” ~ Plato
8) What challenge / achievement are you most proud of?
The achievement I am most proud of is co-founding MPOWERD – a B Corp that creates innovative and affordable solar lanterns. Founding this company was instrumental to many other achievements such as realizing my dream of speaking on a panel with the UN Secretary-General and Nobel Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus at the Rio Summit in 2012, but the lantern also led me to meeting the love of my life, Kito.
9) What song can’t you get out of your head?
The song I haven’t been able to get out of my head for the last few months is “River” by a French-Cuban duo of twin sisters who sing in English and Yoruba. Their late father was a member of Buena Vista Social Club. I discovered them a couple of years ago, as I love to explore the world through music and adore magical realism so present in Latin American culture. Their song reminds me of Brazil and of the Brazilian goddess of the sea, Yemenja whose legend came alive for me on my visit to Bahia. Brazil is a place where I feel very much at home because it is reflective of my own mixed Puerto-Rican/Iranian heritage.
10) What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
The best piece of advice I ever received was to support other women as I advanced in my career. I forgot who shared these wise words with me but they stayed with me throughout my life. Thanks to this prudent advice, I always made an extra effort to look out for and nurture collaborative relationships with other women I worked with, mentoring them or trying to find ways for us to mutually reinforce one another’s goals. While sometimes things backfired for me, more often than not, lifting other women has helped me to soar and I am deeply thankful for all those who have helped me in one way or another along my path.
Check out Jill Van den Brule’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!
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