FIGT DC Affiliate

Year Established: 2017
Type: Geographical
Gathering:  In-person
Languages: English
Contact: dc@figt.org
Facebook Group

The Washington DC Metro Area Affiliate was launched in February 2018 with a mission to:

• bring together representatives of the corporate, diplomatic, academic, religious and military sectors present in the DC area to share their cross-cultural coping strategies and expertise
  
• continue the work of FIGT beyond its annual conference by meeting locally to support and educate professionals who work to improve the lives of families in global transition
  
• provide resources in various forms from expert panels to gatherings that are topical to the issues experienced by globally mobile individuals and families
  

If you would like to learn more about FIGT DC activities or be invited to its events, please connect with us at dc@figt.org.

History

With almost 10 million people in the D.C. metropolitan area and a range of multinational organizations including the IMF, IFC, World Bank, global companies, international schools, embassies, department of defense, U.S. State Department, three individuals with diverse backgrounds, geographies, and a vision came together in the fall of 2017 to launch this affiliate. Their goal was to provide resources and knowledge sharing opportunities already framed by the FIGT organization to the local community of global nomads.

The first meeting was hosted by the World Bank Family Network (WBFN) on February 12th, 2018 with a resounding 52 participants.  

Leadership

Daniela Draugelis grew up in a Lithuanian family in Argentina, and has lived half her life between the USA, Germany, China and Indonesia. She has an extensive career in International Marketing Communications working for Fortune 500 companies as well as innovative technology startups expanding their business operations across borders. She also helped international educational institutions and businesses in China and Indonesia improve their communications and expand the reach of their programs. Daniela is passionate about developing high-impact solutions and making a difference in this globally connected world. 

Jody Conibear Tangredi is a dual Canadian-British citizen raised as an “oil brat” in  Iran, France, England, Indonesia, Australia and Singapore. She has 20 years of educational and corporate experience in global learning, personnel development and management. With a recent Masters in Intercultural Relations she provides clients with solutions to support cross-cultural work and adjustments, to assess and develop global readiness and skills for international positions, and define effective working behaviors for diverse groups. She works with various programs, creating and bringing together the diversity of people’s skills with her deep passion and knowledge on the impact of working, moving and living multiculturally. After working in Japan and Canada, she has been based in Virginia, USA, and experiences life as a military spouse. She is a certified administrator of the Global Competencies Inventory (GCI), the Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES), and the GlobeSmart Profile (GSP).

Asmeret Demeter-Medhane was born in Vienna, Austria, to an Iranian mother and an Ethiopian father and married a Hungarian. She has lived, studied and worked in Africa, Asia, Europe and in the US, incorporating cultures and languages into her life along the way. Her educational background includes Economics, Global Management, International Trade and Intercultural Communications.

After gaining corporate experience as a consultant in business development, international team building, and real estate she decided to combine her love for cross-cultural consulting and business into one. She founded ADM Global Link, a company whose mission it is to provide value to the globally mobile community providing the necessary reassuring hand to clients from the moment a move is planned until they settle in to their new home and beyond.

Stefania Picheca, ICF ACC, ANLP, EQ Practitioner & Assessor, Brain Profiler, is a coach and facilitator with an incredible passion for change and transformation in leadership, team development and expat living, through the power of emotional intelligence (EQ) tools.

Fifteen years ago Stefania and her partner left Italy with a one-way ticket to expat life. Along the way, three kids and a cat have joined their journey. They have lived in Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, London and now in the Washington DC Metro Area.

In her spare time, you will find Stefania preparing Italian dishes or eating food from any corner of the world, running, practicing yoga, reading Brenè Brown's books and generally making her family life move forward!

Sample/Highlight of Past Events/Scheduled Activities

At the beginning of March 2019, FIGT DC had the pleasure of hosting a Coffee Table Conversation on "Globetrotting Personal Style" with Allison Hamilton-Rohe, a personal style coach and CEO of Daily Outfit.

An interested crowd gathered to learn about her thoughts on creating a personal style while also navigating adjusting one’s style with living across cultures. We thank Allison for her lively and informative presentation.