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Nathan Edmondson (MBA 鈥�26 and MSPPM 鈥�26) grew up in Haverhill, Massachusetts, north of Boston, where he once dreamed of becoming a police officer. The son of a union carpenter and a secretary, he was the first in his family to attend college. Studying at Norwich University, a military college in Vermont, inspired him to join the Army after graduation.

During 10 years of service, he was stationed stateside and overseas, including a deployment to Kuwait and assignments at Fort Bliss and Fort Campbell. Toward the end of his military career, Edmondson helped resettle thousands of Afghan refugees in Virginia after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

As he prepared to leave the Army, he struggled to imagine civilian work that would feel as fulfilling. A few fellow veterans had gone on to successful careers after earning MBAs, so he decided he would give business school a try 鈥� but only if he could get into a top-ranked program that would make the investment worthwhile.

Soon, Edmondson was pursuing dual degrees in business administration and public policy at Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School of Business and . 鈥淚 was looking to see if I could translate some of the skills I gained in the Army into the private sector,鈥� he said.

The shift to civilian life was not always smooth. He landed what he thought was a dream summer internship in consulting, but ultimately realized he was looking for a career with a stronger connection to public service and mission.

鈥淭he experience helped me realize that I was looking for a career where I could combine strategy and analytics with a strong sense of public service,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 about finding a better job; it was about finding the right fit.鈥�

A Turn to Nonprofit Board Service

Seeking work that felt more meaningful, Edmondson found an opportunity through the Tepper School鈥檚 Golub Capital Board Fellows program, which places MBA students on the boards of local nonprofits. Fellows complete a strategic pro bono project for their organization while participating in governance workshops.

He had volunteered throughout his military career, and the fellowship offered a new way to continue nonprofit work and become more involved in the Pittsburgh community. He was matched with Allies for Health + Wellbeing, which serves about 3,500 people living with HIV each year through an onsite clinic, pharmacy, food pantry and educational programs.

Alexander Neal, Senior Director of Development and Marketing at Allies for Health + Wellbeing, said the organization participated in the Board Fellows program partly because of his own experience serving on a nonprofit board through a graduate leadership program, which taught him lessons he still carries into work every day.

Using Data to Guide Decisions

During Edmondson鈥檚 fellowship, the nonprofit was in the midst of a transition of its own, moving into larger office space as it expanded its capacity to serve patients.

Edmondson鈥檚 project focused on building a dashboard to help the organization understand clinic usage, track provider time and forecast appointment demand. 鈥淭he goal was to help us make better decisions around appointment scheduling and staffing, as well as expected revenue,鈥� Neal said.

鈥淪mall nonprofit organizations like ours tend to make a lot of decisions in a reactionary way,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ate鈥檚 project is helping us have better foresight and make decisions proactively.鈥�

Edmondson applied the organization鈥檚 data to identify opportunities for growth and presented them in fresh ways, added Angela Lucente-Prokop, chair of the nonprofit鈥檚 Governance Committee. 鈥淣ate鈥檚 work was particularly relevant for Allies because of the unstable environment that nonprofit organizations are facing right now, especially those that focus on helping to ensure equal access to care,鈥� she said.

鈥淗e brought a unique skill set that nonprofit organizations don鈥檛 always have access to: a passion for community work and for making a meaningful difference, along with his business school background and policy perspective.鈥�

Inside the Boardroom

For Edmondson, attending board meetings and observing good governance from the inside was 鈥渢he most eye-opening鈥� experience of his fellowship. As the nonprofit worked to bring on younger and more diverse members, he recalled one meeting where a newer board member asked about candidates鈥� qualifications and backgrounds.

鈥淲hat I found valuable was seeing engaged board members ask meaningful questions that led to thoughtful discussions,鈥� said Edmondson, who hopes to serve on a nonprofit board someday.

The Value of Board Fellows

While in graduate school, Edmondson served as community relations lead for the Board Fellows program, helping build an alumni network at the Tepper School and connecting with other business schools to share best practices.

鈥淭he Board Fellows program is one of the best opportunities that you can take part in during your MBA, just by giving back to the community,鈥� he said. 鈥淟earning about board service will be valuable whether you serve on a nonprofit board or a for-profit board someday.鈥澛�

After graduation, Edmondson became a Special Advisor to the U.S. Secret Service, where he expected to apply lessons learned during his fellowship.

Working alongside the nonprofit鈥檚 senior executives and board members helped him better understand how organizational leaders balance data, strategy and mission when making decisions, he said.

鈥淎t Allies for Health + Wellbeing, I saw firsthand that while financial sustainability and analytics are critical, they must always be considered alongside the organization鈥檚 mission of serving the community,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 expect that perspective will translate well to the U.S. Secret Service, where leaders must also balance budgets, operational realities, and data-driven decision-making while never losing sight of the agency鈥檚 core mission.鈥�

Nathan Edmondson, MBA 鈥�26 and MSPPM 鈥�26, is an Army veteran who was part of the inaugural class of Golub Capital Board Fellows at 91视频 Tepper School of Business. After graduation, he became a Special Advisor to the U.S. Secret Service.聽