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ICF International's housing and community development
practice attracts dynamic individuals from all walks of life.
We'd like you to meet a few of them. We've asked Jessica,
Scott, and Lena to answer some questions about their work,
their backgrounds, and their interests. Although there is
no such thing as a typical day of work at ICF International,
their answers should give you a feel for what it is like to
work in the housing and community development practice.
If you are coming from an undergraduate campus environment,
you may be particularly interested in Jessica's
interview. If you have an advanced degree, you might want
to read what Scott has to say. Finally, if
you have an advanced degree and significant work experience,
you may want to check out Lena's interview.
Jessica, Analyst
What was your background before coming to ICF International?
 Connecticut
is my home state. I attended the University of Connecticut
graduating with a bachelor's degree in Sociology and Political
Science.
Before coming to ICF International, I was a Corps Member in the
National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) which is an AmeriCorps
(like a domestic Peace Corps) program. During my one year
of service in the NCCC, I ventured all over the Mid-Atlantic
region doing community service projects with a team of ten
people. My work included restoration of a heritage trail in
Pennsylvania, flood disaster relief in rural central Ohio,
mentoring and tutoring inner city youth in Washington, D.C.,
and working on a horse farm in southern Ohio.
What led you to accept a position with ICF International?
I was working as a temporary employee in the Human Resources
department when one day they asked me, "What type of
work are you looking for?" I told them I was looking
for a program assistant/associate position in the nonprofit
sector related to community development. They told me that
ICF International had an administrative opening in the housing
and community development practice with great potential for
growth. While not in the nonprofit sector, the work sometimes
mimics the nonprofit sector as it deals with some of the same
issues. I interviewed with four people from the practice and
really felt this was an opportunity to grow and learn. The
rest is history! [Note: Jessica joined the group in an entry-level
position and has been promoted.]
Describe a couple of the projects that you work on and
your roles/responsibilities on these projects.
I work primarily on the Neighborhood Networks contract. This
contract provides technical assistance for developing computer
and resource learning centers on or near properties subsidized
by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
What's great about working on the Neighborhood Networks contract
is that there are a variety of tasks that span the community
development realm. I write articles for print media and Web
sites; develop partnerships on the national and local levels;
learn about project management and development of sound budgets;
help coordinate large events such as conferences and training
sessions; and write training curriculum.
The other valuable thing about working on the Neighborhood
Networks contract is the interaction it allows with the people
doing the work at the local level. Coming from an AmeriCorps
program that was completely "hands-on," I thought
I would have a problem working so far removed from the "people,"
but I have found that this contract still allows me to interact
with people in the field.
What do you particularly like about working at ICF International?
What are your passions related to housing and community development?
The things I enjoy most about working at ICF International are
the flexibility in projects and schedules and the people with
whom I work. There is no manager hovering over my shoulder
and junior staff members are given the opportunity to take
a project and develop it on their own. This doesn't mean that
I am thrown out there and left to fend for myself. Managers
work with me to define the task and stay with me along the
way to answer questions. It leaves me and other staff with
the feeling that the project/task belongs to all of us and
the finished product is something that we are proud of.
The people at ICF International are wonderful. It's a staff that
is committed to developing and delivering quality products.
It is also a group of people who are invested in their work
and who truly care.
I have also found two mentors who have helped shape the early
stages of my career. The first person was my project manager
who took a real interest in my professional
development and saw that I was capable of more than what
my original job description entailed. She took the time to
listen to what I wanted to do and pushed to make it happen.
Thanks to her, I was put on a career track that challenged
me and has helped me grow and learn. My second mentor has
helped me figure out the next steps in my career. Together,
we have brainstormed different avenues that I might be interested
in pursuing and she has helped me define my areas of interest
in the broader community development field.
What are your greatest challenges at ICF International?
Often, my greatest challenge has been maintaining a balance
between work and my personal life. This job is frequently
not a 40-hour per week job (I usually average about 45 hours
each week). Though the work is interesting, it can also be
consuming. As a person who generally puts her all into everything
she does, I have learned to set boundaries and limitations,
as well as priorities.
What are your goals for your future?
For a career, my ultimate goal is to be the director of an
organization that deals primarily with community development
issues—specifically the development of families, children,
and adults. My more immediate goal is to go back to school
for a master's in public administration, concentrating in
nonprofit management or the development of public service
programs.
Scott, Associate
What was your background before coming to ICF International?
 I
have a bachelor's of architecture degree from Virginia Tech
(Go Hokies!) and a master's of public affairs degree from
the University of Texas at Austin (Hook 'em Horns!). Immediately
prior to joining ICF International, I worked for the City of
Austin in its housing and community development office, primarily
on a large redevelopment project on the city's east side.
I also worked for seven years in the leadership development
field at Virginia Tech, Green Mountain College (in Vermont),
and the Texas Union.
Since the longest I've ever lived in one place is seven years,
I have a hard time answering the question, "Where are
you from?" If I had to choose from the ten states and
countries in which I've lived (so far), I'd have to say New
Hampshire is the closest thing to home.
What led you to accept a position with ICF International?
I was drawn to the substance and breadth of the work in the
housing and community development practice. I never thought
I'd be a consultant, but the fact that our work is less about
management consulting and more about the details of policies,
programs, and projects appeals to me. I also was excited about
encountering a broad range of issues happening throughout
the country.
The flexibility offered at ICF International was also enticing.
How can you beat "trying out" different areas of
work and setting your own work hours? Of course, who can fail
to mention the casual workplace attire? Not only does it save
you money, but it also indicates once again that it is the
substance of the work that matters, not the dressing.
Describe a couple of the projects that you work on and
your roles/responsibilities on these projects.
My longest-running project is a Web-based
training site that teaches state and local government
staff, as well as nonprofit staff members, about the Home
Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program. I developed the training
module on Calculating Income Eligibility and proposed and
designed an online calculator to assist staff members in the
process. I also coordinate and edit the work of about ten
staff and subcontractors that have developed a total of eight
training modules.
One of my newest projects is a Minority Economic Development
Plan for the City of Austin, Texas. I recently returned from
a week in the city where I interviewed about 15 local leaders
from the state, city, nonprofit organizations, and chambers
of commerce. Our team is made up of people from both the housing
and community development practice and the economic strategies
group. We are working together to analyze local and regional
data, interview key entities, and conduct focus groups in
order to develop a ten-year strategy that addresses the growing
wage and opportunity disparities that exist within the region's
rapidly expanding economy.
Other projects include writing policy "white papers"
and conducting research for the Partnership
for Advancing Technology in Housing Program, providing
technical assistance to local governments, and developing
training materials for several HUD programs.
What do you particularly like about working at ICF International?
What are your passions related to housing and community development?
I like the substance of our work and the flexibility in doing
it. I have my hands in many different aspects of the housing
and community development field, and I like that ICF International
makes that possible. One of my interests in housing and community
development is the role that good housing design plays—from
both a policy perspective and a physical development aspect.
What are your greatest challenges at ICF International?
Remembering to leave some time in the day for myself. I generally
find the projects I work on so interesting, and there are
often so many of them, that I don't often think to slow down.
What are your goals for your future?
I see myself moving toward being a director of a city's housing
and community development office someday. There is so much
potential to do good things and to have an impact on people's
lives through these offices. Alternatively, I could continue
the consultant's advisory role on how to make those good things
happen and avoid some of the frequently nasty politics in
the process!
Lena, Senior Associate
What was your background before coming to ICF International?
 My
most recent educational experience—and what brought
me to ICF International—focused on urban geography. I obtained
my MA in geography from the University of Minnesota with a
concentration in urban development in North America. I studied
how cities have developed, how different factors have influenced
their growth/decline, and how the quality of housing and services
has changed.
I became interested in geography when I attended Penn State.
My major was in political science, but I changed my minor
from history to geography after taking two classes with Pierce
Lewis on the cultural landscape of America. Then there was
no going back!
What led you to accept a position with ICF International?
I had already worked in consulting prior to graduate school,
so I was familiar with the consulting environment and knew
I wanted to work with a private firm. I heard about ICF International's
housing and community development practice through a friend
whose sister worked here. Everything about it seemed great
-- their work fit nicely with my educational background; I
liked the variety of federal department and state and local
clients; and the people I met were bright, hard working, and
personable.
When I interviewed, I also liked their matrix management structure,
which allows people to work for different Project Managers
and obtain experience working on a broader scope of projects.
Describe a couple of the projects that you work on and
your roles/responsibilities on these projects.
The project on which I've spent most of my time is a survey
analysis project with the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It's a project that
I really like and that has really helped me grow professionally.
I started out developing a couple of surveys, conducting phone
interviews, and writing up pieces of reports. I'm now the
editor for the project, managing three staff teams that together
produce about 25 technical reports each year. At the end of
each year, we also compile all of the data and produce an
annual report. The best part of the project is training new
people starting FEMA work.
On the housing side, I've developed training materials for
lead-based paint (LBP). This LBP training educates HUD funding
recipients about their requirements for identifying lead hazards
and implementing control measures to prevent residents, especially
children, from being poisoned. This type of work involves
a lot of regulatory analysis and writing, but also creative
thinking about how to present information in a learner-friendly
format. I'm also working on a series of training courses that
will teach Indian tribes about the requirements for Indian
Housing Block Grant funds, funds that go towards affordable
housing efforts in tribal areas.
What do you particularly like about working at ICF International?
What are your passions related to housing and community development?
I really like the variety of project work; flexibility in
working for more than one Project Manager; supportive atmosphere
for professional
development; and the opportunities created by upper management
for junior management and junior staff to participate in the
development of projects.
In graduate school, I became very passionate about efforts
to make public housing and public housing communities more
livable and ways to help people pull themselves out of poverty.
I also developed a passion for understanding how urban development
can be steered towards a more sustainable path, one that balances
density and its strain on resources with sprawl and its destruction
of public green space and natural ecosystems. I still feel
passionately about these issues, but working here also has
exposed me to other types of issues regarding affordable housing.
For instance, I now understand the importance of eliminating
lead-based paint hazards in urban and rural communities.
What are your greatest challenges at ICF International?
One challenge has been finding the right balance of breadth
versus depth. I like doing a variety of projects because I'm
exposed to a lot of knowledge areas and new skills. But I
also recognize the need to have an identifiable set of skills
with some substantive experience using those skills. One thing
that makes it easier to find balance is the genuine support
that management gives junior staff for their professional
development.
What are your goals for your future?
Professionally, I really like what I'm doing now. It's a rewarding
job on a number of levels. I'm also gaining more responsibility
and developing areas of expertise and really like and respect
the people with whom I work.
My nonwork goals include learning as much about the world
as I can by reading, traveling, and sharing with people, and
someday having a family.
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