In conversation with her colleague Jenna McCarthy, GMA’s Rachel Rifkin talks about her 15-year career with Boston-based nonprofits, how she wound up at GMA, and what makes her current role so special.
Q. How did your work in public health lead you to philanthropy?
A. I moved across the country to obtain my master’s degree in global public health from Boston University and never left! Before joining GMA, I spent 15 years in the nonprofit sector in a variety of roles in healthcare and public health, ranging from supporting local hospital initiatives to working in sexual and reproductive rights.
Prior to joining GMA, I worked at Pathfinder International, which challenged me in new ways, pushing me into areas where I felt less comfortable but ultimately helped me grow. For example, I was in the USA managing operations in sub-Saharan Africa, but I do not speak the local languages and am not accustomed to their culture and social norms. I became increasingly aware of the ways in which western-based philanthropic institutions often carry racist and colonial overtones in how they approach global health funding and partnerships abroad. Fortunately, we’ve seen this mindset changing.
Over time, I transitioned from nonprofit program implementation to the funder side, where I focus on directing funds to important causes both domestically and globally. This shift has given me a broader perspective on the health ecosystem as a whole and how power and resources are managed within it.
Q. When it comes to your career, what would you like to be best known for?
A. Three things! I would like to be known for being organized, efficient, and collaborative.
As both a senior program officer and a philanthropic advisor at GMA, a key part of my role is understanding what each of my clients truly wants so that I can guide them with clarity and care. I build strong relationships by tailoring my approach to directly support their stated goals. This requires deep engagement in a wide variety of issues, which I love.
To be effective, I prioritize flexibility and adaptability—core strengths that support strong relationships and long-term impact for my clients. At the same time, I am grateful that I get to partner with a diverse array of people, keeping things dynamic and interesting for me as I am constantly learning.
Q. What does success look like to you?
A. Success is when GMA’s vision of effective and joyful giving is accomplished. I want our clients to be happy because they know that their foundations are doing incredible work that fulfills their missions. I also enjoy being able to guide and influence monetary resources towards nonprofits and projects that I believe are worthy of support.
Q. What is special about GMA?
A. Lots of things make GMA special, but for me, the most exceptional part of our organization is that we are employee-owned.
I’ve seen firsthand the challenges that come with different organizational structures. In previous roles, I’ve felt a disconnect between leadership’s decision-making and day-to-day realities. In contrast, GMA’s leadership is hands-on and transparent—our leaders collaborate alongside us as colleagues, sharing responsibility and doing the work with us.
In many for-profit models, where success is measured exclusively by the bottom line and shareholder returns, employees have little sense of how decisions are made, and risk being exploited. That’s why working for an employee-owned company like GMA aligns perfectly with my closely held values of accountability, transparency, and mission. When GMA does well, we all benefit.
Q. What is your ideal day off?
A. My ideal day off is a summer beach day at Crane Beach in Ipswich, MA! I’m with my best friends, fully embracing my role as passenger princess. We spend the whole day there – playing frisbee, having a picnic, going swimming, and watching the sunset.
Contact GMA Senior Program Officer Rachel Rifkin by email.
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