52. Voices of Western - A Career in Public Service and Policy скачать в хорошем качестве

52. Voices of Western - A Career in Public Service and Policy

In today's episode, Hossein is joined by Bita Pejam, a seasoned community organizer with experience in public policy advisory and strategy. She earned her undergraduate degree in political science at Western and went on to get an MBA at McMaster. Her previous experiences include working on trade policy at the Department of Foreign Affairs, serving as a municipal economic advisor, and working as a management consultant in KPMG's advising division. She is currently the Manager of Operations and Stakeholder Relations for the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern ON on Parliament Hill. We discuss Bita's schooling at Western and beyond, how she got exposure to politics, and get an insight into the day-to-day responsibilities that come with this unique profession. 🚀 Don't miss our 'Hot Takes' section, where Bita and Hossein discuss their hot takes on how social media's increasing influence is shaping political narratives, and the pros and cons that come with it.🚀 Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction to Bita’s journey 4:06 - How were you introduced to politics growing up? 7:39 - How did you nurture your interest in politics at Western? 10:47 - Insight into what it’s like to volunteer on a campaign for a Political Candidate 14:26 - Hot Takes: What's your take on social media's increasing influence in shaping political narratives? Is it improving our political conversations by including more voices, or do you see it causing more problems by making people more divided? 21:20 - Pursuing an MBA degree and landing a full-time job offer while in University 26:22 - How was your exchange experience in Germany? What did you learn about their culture? 32:16 - What are some of your day-to-day responsibilities in your current role? 35:05 - How has your Persian heritage served you in your role? 39:04 - What are some of the myths people think about when thinking about politics? 42:33 - Mystery Question: If money weren’t a factor, would you still be pursuing the career that you currently have? If yes - why do you think that’s the case? If not - what else would you be doing?