Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kia Colbert. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Kia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?

The most important lesson I have learned is to trust in and listen to God. When you listen to Him everything follows in place. My previous job was going really well. I was accelerating in trajectory as it relates to professional development, I had autonomy over what I was doing, I had a phenomenal relationship with my supervisor, and I was comfortable. I was on the brink of working with my supervisor to secure another contract for the team, ad told myself I was going to stay there for another two years and then figure out what I wanted to do. God heard my plans and He laughed. A few days later, the contract fell through and I was served with a reduction in force which meant my job was no longer secure and in 90 days I would no longer have a job. I was devastated because I didn’t have a plan and had no other job lined up. I was upset and sad but I only let myself stay in that place for the day. I prayed about it, and felt this peace about the situation and it was hen that I knew God was in the middle of this. Although the 90 days were approaching quickly I found myself not worrying because I knew He would take care of me. Everyday wasn’t a walk in the park but I was able to hold on to my faith and on Day 90 I was offered the job that has taken me to where I am now.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Georgia native, born and raised. You don’t find too many of us still here today. I grew up in Decatur, a product of Southwest Dekalb High School. I went to college at Clemson University, and it was there that I first learned about and found my love for public health. After Clemson, I came home and taught elementary for a few years before getting my Masters in Public Health from Emory University. Emory is where I cultivated the skills that have led e to where I am now. I began my career in violence and injury prevention, did some global health work with norovirus, and then landed here doing capacity building work for HIV-serving organizations in the Southern US. I currently lead the Gilead COMPASS Initiative at Emory University where we help organizations that are impacting lives and saving them on a daily basis.

There are some that don’t know but there is an HIV epidemic in the South. Although the South is roughly 37% of the population in the US, more than half of all HIV diagnoses occur in the South. This is due to stigma; lack of access to to resources and appropriate care; and inequities surrounding race, culture, gender, sexuality, language, class, age, and ability, among other things. The Center that I lead helps organizations that are doing this life-changing work focus on their organization and help build better infrastructures so they have a solid foundation to work off of. We also provide spaces for shared knowledge so we aren’t working in silos and people have access to information that they can use to support their organizations and be informed about the landscape of their environments.

I am most proud of the impact that we are making and the outcome of the partners we are working with. We are helping change the landscape of the South; helping people connect and build relationships; helping other funders recognize the value and impact in the work that small grassroot organizations are doing; shining a spotlight on racism and discrimination against black and brown people; while bringing resources to the South. I am proud to lead a team that cares about the work and the impact and is invested in doing what is right.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

The best advice for managing a team is to be your authentic self, and lead from a place of love while being firm. People are looking for someone to see who they are and value them for what they bring to the table. I lead from a place of authenticity, while showing my team through my actions and not just my works. I am also not intimidated by hiring those that may know more than me in their area of specialty. I am looking to have the best team to execute the greatest result. You have to have the best and brightest on your team in order to do so. We learn from each other and value the knowledge and experience that each person has. This builds a culture of trust and accountability. If you value people. set clear expectations, and firm to redirect when those expectations aren’t being met, and exemplify the same people want to give their best effort.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

The most important thing that I have that no one can take away from me is the confidence and belief in myself. This is something I’ve had to learn and bloom over time. My mom was my first teacher in this; and I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to work for and with some of the most powerful and brilliant women in my public health career. They are true bosses and that can sometimes be intimidating for someone in their early career. I have followed, listened, watched, learned, and took the greatest pieces of them and used them to fill my bucket. I am confident with who and I am and where I am going because of lessons I learned from them.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gileadcompass.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colbert25/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kia-colbert-38b45153/

Image Credits
Tori Placona Neena Smith-Bankhead