Our board members bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to SHIM. They hail from different cultural backgrounds, life and professional experiences and offer diverse perspectives to our leadership team. Many have been involved with our organization in one way or another before joining the board and have a deep understanding of community needs.
Amela joined the SHIM board last year after seven years as a mentor to girls in our Youth Mentoring program. Now in her eighth year of mentoring, she notes that her commitment to teens from the refugee and immigrant community is rooted in her own experience moving to Pittsburgh as a refugee from Bosnia and Herzegovina at age 20. Amela remembers the people who took time to help her, especially the young woman who came to her house each week to teach her English. This 22-year-old volunteer even helped Amela gather furniture and find what she needed to feel at home.
She also enjoys working with teen girls as she has two sons and no daughters and likes developing close bonds and sharing advice with the girls. Together they cook and do enriching activities that allow the teen girls to express themselves in a safe space.
Amela shares with the teens the determination and courage it took for her to get where she is today– Director at BNY Mellon. At age 33 she enrolled in college while holding down a full-time job and raising two kids. Earning a degree was important to her and she remembers how her community, friends and family helped her achieve her goals. She likes to pay it forward and share her experiences, to help the girls take chances and adapt. As she worked through those tough years, she reminded herself that she was setting an example for a new generation of refugees, immigrants, and trail blazers. Amela’s motivation comes from one of her favorite quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson – “Don’t go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
Over the years, she has watched former fifth graders grow into young women who are now excelling in college. She takes pride in knowing that the guidance they received at Youth Mentoring helped give them the confidence to succeed.
“It has been a fulfilling journey. I feel very close to the girls.”
Knowing the important work SHIM does in the community, Amela joined the board as soon as her work and family commitments allowed. Amela brings a unique perspective to her work on the board. In addition to bringing her empathy to her work on the board, especially regarding serving the immigrant and refugee population in the South Hills, Amela’s professional background in the financial sector allows her to help plan for financial sustainability. She is passionate about paving the way for others, both in her professional role and on SHIM’s board. As a leader at BNY Mellon, Amela works with Business Resource Groups focused on gender equality in a workplace, and on recruitment, advancement, and retention of multicultural employees. Amela is Head of Digital and Data Transformation at BNY Mellon Credit Services. In this role, Amela is driving business transformation to ensure that her organization has process, technology, and operational controls in place to effectively support strategic growth and operational efficiency. Additionally, Amela is leading digital and data enablement through innovation and partnership initiatives. Amela strives to be an empowering leader and continues motivating others through her ability to inspire, earn trust, deliver results, and share success.
“You must lift others as you grow, you must be engaged in your community. Everyone has value regardless of their economic situation.”
Learn more about our youth programs HERE.
