Imagine jetting off to a remote village, not as a tourist, but as a volunteer, building infrastructure alongside indigenous elders and realizing that true success isn’t in the bricks laid, but in the trust earned across cultures.In this episode of Powering ProjeX, host DK sits down with Kimberly Haley-Coleman, Founder and Executive Director of Globe Aware, to explore how culturally aware project delivery creates lasting impact.

From grassroots community design to stakeholder alignment across continents, this conversation uncovers how purpose-driven projects can transform not only communities but the people who lead them.

“The real measure of success isn’t just what you build, but the relationships and changed mindsets that last long after the project is done.”
 — Kimberly Haley-Coleman

Guest Bio

Kimberly Haley-Coleman is the founder and Executive Director of Globe Aware, a US & Canada-based nonprofit that leads and mobilizes volunteers for short-term service projects in over 25 countries (since the year 2000). Kimberly holds an MBA in International Business, an MA in Art History, and a BA from Emory University. A multiple patent holder, SMU Guest Lecturer, and recipient of the Texas Business Hall of Fame Award and long-time Hall of Fame member, Chairman of the Executive Board for the International Volunteer Programs Association (IVPA) and actively engaged with organizations like the Building Bridges Coalition and United Nations ESOC Consultative Status Committee and variety of other nonprofit boards focused on international service, community development, and environmental improvement.

What You’ll Learn

• How Globe Aware designs and delivers volunteer projects in 25+ countries
• Why local ownership and co-creation are the foundations of sustainable impact
• How to balance Western efficiency with Indigenous values of consensus and connection
• The power of cultural humility in stakeholder engagement
• Real-world lessons from the field — when projects misalign, and how to recover
• The “Shared-Value Triangle”: Globe Aware’s framework for trust and transparency
• Why success isn’t measured by outputs, but by relationships, empathy, and respect

Host Daniela Kellett digs into how Globe Aware keeps its volunteer service vacations and projects flowing smoothly across borders, currencies, and time zones all around the globe — no small feat when your team spans three continents and your volunteers come from even more. Inspirational service and how to do it well. From Cuba to Costa Rica, Cambodia to Romania, how to bridge the cultural gap and have a great time doing it.

• How Globe Aware designs and delivers volunteer projects in 25+ countries
• Why local ownership and co-creation are the foundations of sustainable impact
• How to balance Western efficiency with Indigenous values of consensus and connection
• The power of cultural humility in stakeholder engagement
• Real-world lessons from the field — when projects misalign, and how to recover
• The “Shared-Value Triangle”: Globe Aware’s framework for trust and transparency
• Why success isn’t measured by outputs, but by relationships, empathy, and respec