Ilinca Nicolescu in Canada

In this new blog series, I’d like to ask some questions to people from different countries, backgrounds, professions, and genders who have all one thing in common: volunteering. I hope you’ll get inspired by their journeys and take the leap into volunteering.

Notice: The positions, views and information contained published here are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily represent my views or opinions.

Ilinca Nicolescu is a “Serious” Project Manager in her day job for a pharmaceutical company and a “funny” Volunteer in her free time at a PMO group.

As a volunteer, Ilinca is the organizer and host of a fun book club and a global conference for the PMO leader alongside a team of many of “her kind” (volunteers).

She has been living in Toronto, Canada, since 2019, when she moved from her birthplace, Bucharest, Romania.

For the most part, her career involves the Pharmaceutical, Research & Development space, where she has/is leading global teams toward finding new medical cures and treatments for those in need. She has

8+ years of work experience and

Number of years of volunteering experiences: 15+ years of volunteering. She can speak

English, Romanian, and basic Chinese (Mandarin). She holds a p

harmaceutical sciences; Master's in Business management. She has many hobbies: Flying aerobatics, Exploring the world, Solving puzzles, and Building muscles. Her nicknames are Thinka (given by work colleagues) and Fireball (aviation call sign).

How did you begin to volunteer?

I had the pleasure of meeting a group of successful project management professionals who spoke highly about how volunteering has improved their careers and lives. Later on, I had the utmost pleasure of joining forces with them to organize an event and saw the passion behind their words.

Why did you continue volunteering?

If you commit to it properly it is contagiously rewarding!

How has volunteering helped you in your career?

For me, the most important outcomes of volunteering:

• Having a better understanding of how to engage your team as a leader (this while organizing a global conference with a team comprised 100% of volunteers)

• Improving my communication skills as a whole

• Expanding and diversifying my professional network

Would you encourage other people to volunteer, and if so, why?

Yes, but only if they can commit to it 100%! Only then will they see the value of it.