In this week’s Fellow Spotlight, we are checking in with Jaber Saad. He fills us in on what he enjoys most about living in the city, and his host company, the Hospice of Michigan!

Jaber, what have you enjoyed most about Challenge Detroit thus far?

That is a tough question because there have been so many great memories this year. I would say the Friday’s are my favorite part. Every Friday we all get together and work as a big team to try and create value for our partner non-profits. I feel such a sense of community each Friday, and it has made all of us such good friends. I believe we work well as a team, and I am so grateful to be a part of this amazing Challenge Detroit team.

What are some of those things you like to do in Detroit?

In the winter, I enjoy ice-skating downtown (or at least attempting to ice-skate). My fiancée, Samantha, and I explore the city together all the time and, since we both love to eat, we end up exploring many of the great restaurants. There is so much going on in Detroit that it is so hard to fit it all into a busy schedule. I am a huge Detroit sports fan, so going to Tigers and Lions games is very special to me. I love to read, so I also enjoy finding quite places in the city to enjoy a good book. I hope to explore even more going forward!

Tell us about your host-company and what you do?

I work for Hospice of Michigan, a non-profit health care services provider that serves patients with terminal illnesses. I hope to be a physician one day, so my work with Hospice of Michigan is very relevant to my future career path. I work mainly with data and reports, however I have recently started working on our companies social media accounts. Kirsten Bondalapati (the other Challenge Detroit fellow at Hospice of Michigan) and I are working to increase our company’s social media presence and help provide people with valuable information on Hospice and palliative care through Facebook and Twitter.

What do you enjoy most about working at Hospice of Michigan?

Sometimes when working in an office setting it is easy to lose sight of whom you are serving with your work. What I enjoy most about my work with Hospice of Michigan is tagging along with our nurses and social workers visiting our diverse patients. This really motivates me with my work everyday because I am able to see the amazing people we are helping. I try to visit patients at least once a month and have made visits all over the Metro Detroit area. I hope to soon visit patients in Grand Rapids and Alpena, as well.

What is your favorite aspect of the team challenges?

The team challenges have been great so far. Getting together each Friday with an amazing group of motivated people has been a privilege and I am very thankful. My favorite aspect of the team challenges has to be the presentations. It is amazing how tangible and comprehensive our deliverables are for our partner non-profits. Seeing all our hard work presented to the community and our partners is very rewarding. However, I suspect that I will enjoy seeing our deliverables and plans implemented even more!

What are you excited for in Detroit?

Warm weather! I am excited to explore the city in the Spring and Summer. I want to participate in 5K runs in the city, and I want to walk on the river walk without snow. The winter has its own benefits (ice skating, snow, etc.), but I am ready for an amazing Michigan Summer.

Check out Jaber’s personal blog here, and his spotlight video.