Deva Jones

Deva Jones, Recruitment Associate
212-400-3959
Deva@echoinggreen.org

Before Echoing Green, Deva worked in two very different but exciting fields – youth development and coffee.  She provided support to America's Promise, an organization focused on providing children across the country with the essential tools they need to be successful in life. Deva also helped organize a summer camp with Lutheran Social Services for HIV+ children living in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.  As a barista, she spent almost two years perfecting her latte art and serving customers the best coffee in the District. Deva earned a B.A. in Spanish and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia in 2006, and a M.P.P. with a concentration in International Development Policy from the University of Maryland in 2008.

Why do you do what you do?

wdydwyd sign: Because it only takes 1 person to change the world.

It only takes one person with a great idea for social change to start a wave of efforts to push that idea forward. 

I do this work in honor of…

My parents, who pushed me to get an education and be a more responsible citizen.  As government employees, they always encouraged me to give back to society, and I believe my work at Echoing Green has done just that.       

What is the most surprising part of your job?

Not only do I respond to applicant inquiries throughout the application cycle, I also recruit and coordinate the 150+ people who evaluate and score our applications every year.

When not working, what are you caught doing?

Roaming the streets of New York City in search of a decent cup of coffee.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a marine biologist until I was 16 years old.  After actually taking a biology class and getting a glimpse into what my future career would entail, I realized marine biology wasn’t my favorite subject, and I reassessed my career path.

What is your favorite podcast or blog and why?

I love listening to This American Life on Chicago Public Radio.  Whether they’re discussing “frenemies” or the US health industry, I always learn something new about American society through their witty comments or interviews.