Alumni Impact: Brendan Callahan

Hometown:  Thousand Oaks, California 
Outreach:  Boston University
Year of graduation:  2009 
College major:  Business Administration 
Where I live now:  Torrance, California
My family:  I married my college sweetheart, Alyssa, who is a dietitian.
My work:  I manage operations and finance for a public charter school system called Green Dot Public Schools that runs middle schools and high schools in south Los Angeles.  Our organization focuses on areas of highest need, such as Watts and Compton.
Brother I know best:  Br. Pat (but also Br. Sam - they were a dynamic duo at BU.)
Favorite Brotherhood memory:  Visiting Tanzania with Br. Pat and Br. Ken had a profound impact on me.
My service:  Alyssa and I co-founded Achieve in Africa after the trip with Br. Patrick and Br. Ken.  This past year has been bittersweet for us as we dissolved the organization, and I joined the board of a new organization, AfricAid, that provides leadership development and mentoring for girls in Tanzania.  One of Achieve in Africa’s flagship projects was constructing a secondary school for Olasiti village.  We constructed the classrooms and desks, and the Tanzanian government provided the teachers and continues to operate the school for 1,200 students.
How the Brotherhood shaped my life:  Without the trip to Tanzania, I would have never started Achieve in Africa.  Coming away from that trip I was moved to action.  My girlfriend at the time was in full support of me, and that’s Alyssa – who is my wife now.  Building the organization helped us come together and learn to work as a team.  Without starting Achieve in Africa, I would likely not be in education as a career today.  The gratification I received from working on Achieve in Africa pushed me to work for a school system full-time.  Words also can’t express the thankfulness I have towards Br. Pat for being a listening ear, a thought partner and a good friend throughout college.  My only regret now is that I am not geographically closer to reconnect more often.