From Medair’s headquarters in Switzerland, James McDowell, head of the global emergency response team, supports colleagues all over the world who are responding to natural disasters, displacement crises, or disease outbreaks.
On the ground, these teams can face visa or access issues, government bureaucracy, and insecurity. They are also working with traumatized populations and sometimes seeing needs to which they don’t have the funding or expertise to respond. It’s challenging but meaningful work, McDowell said, and rewarding to be part of a team effort that helps people when they need it most.
Prior to this role, McDowell had been involved in several of Medair’s emergency responses and held country and program leadership roles. But working as part of the emergency response team was something he said felt “close to his heart.”