The VISTA Project

Josh served as the inaugural VISTA member in a three-year collaboration between Transform Mid-Atlantic and the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO). His foundational assignment focused on addressing the organization's initial communication barriers, developing a long-term communications framework, and helping refugees navigate financial learning and assistance. In this role, he utilized specialized frameworks to standardize data collection and build sustainable community programs, sharing the collective impact across the broader network.

The Challenge
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020–2021 service year severely restricted traditional operations. Safety protocols prohibited vital in-person financial coaching at the IRC Baltimore office, forcing a rapid shift toward national capacity-building initiatives. Structurally, Josh had to overcome technical delays in securing administrative access to editing platforms, navigate a steep learning curve regarding the financial sector's relationship with refugee populations, and troubleshoot form bugs during a comprehensive website overhaul.

The Solution
Josh pivoted effectively by authoring a comprehensive communications strategy alongside the Executive Director to outline key messaging for the organization's future growth. He managed the launch of the organization’s public profiles across Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook, while leading team meetings as the primary author and editor of the 2020 activities report. To bridge operational gaps, he developed a standardized "success story" template to harvest case studies from the field, contributed heavily to grant reporting, and engineered a centralized master document used to highlight the relationship between the IRC and CEO during an internal Resettlement, Asylum, and Integration department spotlight.

The Legacy
Josh's efforts built sustainable institutional infrastructure that successfully decreased the platform's bounce rate by 50%. By completely redesigning, modernizing, and completing the new website (https://www.irc-ceo.org/), he introduced unique landing pages that permanently enhanced user experience and stakeholder functionality. His success story architecture established a permanent data-gathering mechanism to support future public relations, grant proposals, and investor relations. Additionally, by conducting direct peer onboarding with the incoming year-two VISTA member, he preserved vital organizational knowledge and secured the long-term continuity planned for the three-year project.

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Life After VISTA

Following the completion of his service year in 2021, the Center for Economic Opportunity retained Josh full-time as their Communications Coordinator. In this capacity, he executed communications strategies for the national Community Development Financial Institution, curating marketing collateral and videos for its network of over 20 locations across the United States while supporting the work of subsequent VISTAs to fulfill the project's original sustainability goals.

In May 2024, Josh was promoted to Communications Manager. Today, he operates remotely as a collaborative public service professional, leading strategic communications and public affairs to support immigrants and refugees nationwide, while continuing to change public perception regarding the immense, lasting value of a service year.