In this week’s Fellow Spotlight, we are checking in with Bethany Felder. She fills us in on what she enjoys most about Detroit, her host company,  Carat and what she’s looking forward to as a Challenge Detroit Fellow

What do you enjoy most about living, working, playing, giving and leading in Detroit?

I spent two years after college teaching on the east side of Detroit with Teach for America. Teaching high school Spanish at Southeastern High School was one of the hardest experiences I’ve ever had, yet I was inspired daily by the teachers and students I worked with. My favorite thing about being a part of Challenge Detroit is the ability to maintain and grow the lifelong relationships I built in the classroom while simultaneously getting to experience Detroit in a whole new way. Until working with Challenge Detroit, I had only heard about the growing downtown business district, the innovative nonprofits, pop-up restaurants, and vibrant art scene. Now, with Challenge Detroit, I get to experience two very distinct and special perspectives of Detroit while building new relationships and strengthening old ones. I see my former students on a near-weekly basis and am constantly sharing the things I have learned and seen in Challenge Detroit with my former coworkers.

Tell us about your host company and what you do? 

My host company is Carat. Carat is a media agency that handles the media planning and buying for General Motors. After acquiring the GM account in 2012, Carat moved an office into One Detroit Center in downtown Detroit and has since worked to manage and grow General Motors’ media strategies, tactics, and reach. I personally work on the Chevrolet account with a focus on the Chevy Volt, Cruze, Sonic, and Spark nameplates. While I am still learning the breadth of my team’s work, I have witnessed a large chunk of the planning cycle. Some of my team’s responsibilities include developing target personas for each nameplate, creating strategic and tactical media plans for each vehicle, and identifying optimal media channels to advertise in. I have been so excited to contribute to Carat’s planning process and to learn from enthusiastic and knowledgeable industry leaders.

 What have you learned with Challenge Detroit so far? 

I have been able to see a different perspective of the city and it’s revitalization efforts through Challenge Detroit. While teaching on the east side, I had only heard about the vibrant downtown life and work force that was growing in the city. Now that I am a fellow with Challenge Detroit, I am able to be a part of the downtown workforce daily and feel lucky to be a part of such a lively community. Additionally, I am exposed to new non-profit initiatives and service organizations by way of my co-fellows. I have learned about so many community initiatives that are doing great things in the city including Detroit SOUP, The Future Project, COTS, and RecoveryPark. My fellows and Challenge Detroit administration introduce us to dozens of organizations monthly that have helped me reconsider and reframe the challenges and opportunities in our city.

 What kind of impact do you hope to make with your host company? With the city? 

I feel extremely privileged to be working with Carat in a fast-paced, forward-thinking workplace. I have been learning so much about the media and auto industries and plan to continue my education and growth. I am lucky to work with a team that prioritizes my professional development and that has provided support and opportunity as I have learned the ropes at Carat. I hope to grow my role within my team and contribute to our planning as I learn the intricacies of our processes and partnerships.

As I think about the city of Detroit, I hope to contribute to the bridge being built between the city and suburbs and the neighborhoods and downtown. There is so much strength, so many resources, and so many perspectives throughout the city of Detroit and the metro-area that can be leveraged to build a stronger region. I hope to grow to serve as an intermediary between the different stakeholders in Detroit’s development efforts and help to build a sense of camaraderie and community to build a strong metro-Detroit region.

What’s one unique thing you’ve discovered during your time Detroit so far? 

There is a different Mediterranean place for every occasion. Harmonie Garden in Midtown is for weeknight carry-out staple. Bucharest is for late-night munchies. CK is for catered lunches. Beirut Palace is for special trips to Royal Oak. And curly fries with hummus with beef is my Detroit take on poutine.

Also, be sure to check out Bethany’s video to learn more about her time in Detroit, so far.