DAV Insider: Rachel Linnewiel, Head of External Relations
Today we have the pleasure of getting to know Rachel Linnewiel, Head of External Relations. Rachel wears many hats at DAV and latest has been the one to lead the charge as our pre-sale interest exploded several weeks back.
What’s your role at the DAV Foundation?
My title is Head of External Relations. At different organizations that can mean different things. In my case, I’m responsible for direct correspondence and relationships with DAV’s most committed stakeholders. At the same time, I was one of the first team members to join, so I’ve done a little bit of a lot of different things.
What does your average workday look like?
My work day is split into morning and evening sessions — I’m at the office for a slightly abbreviated day, and then I connect in the evenings for a few hours as well. Because both our team and our community are all over the globe, this enables me to be as available as possible for “live” interactions. In terms of the work itself, every day is different because every day I receive different questions and requests from different kinds of people around the world. It has been amazing to see the breadth of DAV’s appeal, and exhilarating to get to be the one to welcome our stakeholders.
What do you feel are your greatest challenges in your role?
The greatest challenge is keeping up with the pace of community inquiries. Because the response to DAV has been so positive, and the reach so broad, often by the time I’ve finished one email response, two new community members have written in. It is a great problem to have!
Tell us a funny, quirky or strange story from work.
Funny, quirky, strange, and from work?
Alick.
Who’s your favourite superhero or fictional character, and why?
I’ve always had tremendous affection for Genie, from Disney’s Aladdin. He’s fun, he’s funny, he’s blue. He’s also the animated expression of the great Robin Williams, which cements him in my mind as a standout in the Disney lineup.
What gets you excited about DAV?
My educational and professional background is in city and transportation planning, and I am passionate about sustainable, accessible mobility for all. Access to transportation is the single most important factor in an individual’s ability to overcome poverty. I sense that a lot of the excitement around DAV is focused on city applications — how many times have I wished I could order a near-instant drone delivery of the milk I forgot to buy? — but what interests me most is how DAV will enable the expansion of the existing transportation network to reach underserved communities by reducing the barriers to market entry. DAV creates economic opportunity, instant market responsiveness to new technologies, and expands the reach of existing solutions through cooperation. When I imagine it, I get an image in my head of everyone in the world reaching out and holding hands to create an enormous chain that connects even the farthest corners of the world. Maybe that’s cheesy, but I actually think that’s what DAV is offering.
