After spending time at the beginning of his career with an ad agency, Levi Eads (LA’09) took his communication expertise to the nonprofit sector — and he discovered it was an ideal fit. He had always enjoyed volunteering with charitable organizations, and this career move combined his desire to help others with his interest in branding and storytelling.

For the past five years, Eads has been the director of programs and development for Step It Up, a nonprofit based in Portland, Oregon, that provides youths with educational and career-development resources. Through meaningful guidance and experiential learning opportunities, such as podcasting, Step It Up is committed to helping students graduate, transition to successful careers, and give back to their communities. 

“Our goal is to prepare teens and young adults to successfully bridge the gap between school and career so that they can break out of the cycle of poverty and become productive and fulfilled adults,” he says.

In his role, Eads wears a number of hats as he aims to serve young people and expand Step It Up’s reach. 

“It’s really fun to help grow a small organization,” Eads says. “There’s a pioneering spirit and sense of camaraderie — and you never know what is going to happen next.”

While his work may be different from day to day, Eads appreciates the moments of networking as he forms connections with local entities, pursues donations, and creates new programs for young people in the Portland area. He also enjoys the freedom to think creatively, whether he is conceptualizing the nonprofit’s next campaign or devising new services to offer. 

Working alongside the youths Step It Up is committed to helping and seeing them achieve their dreams is a highlight for Eads. “Spending time with students is one of the most rewarding parts of my job,” he says. “I have the unique opportunity to watch these young people develop their abilities as they prepare to take the next steps in their careers.

“In a project where students were working on their own podcasts, I saw them improve their public speaking skills and learn about networking. When you are working with young people, you get to see them grow and change. It’s so rewarding.”