Becoming a humanitarian advocate: Meet Kathryn Anderson

Kathryn Anderson, 29, gave up a corporate law salary to live on a $50 stipend as a volunteer for humanitarian advocacy in New York City.

Kathryn Anderson, 29, grew up in Bremen, Indiana, graduated from the University of Notre Dame, and received her law degree from Notre Dame Law School. She spent a year studying international law in the law school’s London program.

After receiving her law degree, she worked for three-and-a-half years as an attorney in South Bend, Indiana, at Baker & Daniels, LLP, a 370-attorney law firm.

She specialized in business litigation and white-collar criminal defense. It was there that she got her first taste of nonprofit legal work, while representing political asylum clients pro bono. Looking to transition into the nonprofit world full-time, she decided in March 2010 to do a year of volunteer service with the Mennonite Voluntary Service in New York City.

Kathryn has been completing her volunteer work with World Vision International’s United Nations office, where she is an advocate to the United Nations for World Vision’s humanitarian and development work, primarily focusing her advocacy on issues in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

So, how does a volunteer live off of a weekly stipend of $50 in New York City? Find out more in this interview with Kathryn herself at Digital Stories.