Getting more people involved in having an impact on global poverty

As CEO of Action on Poverty, Brayden Howie firmly believes that the international development sector can and should be more accessible to new participants. With a Masters degree in International Public Health, Brayden has held senior leadership and company director roles in the international development and health and social services sectors for more than 15 years across both commercial and non-profit organisations in Sydney, Bangkok, and Pyongyang.Brayden is this weeks Pro Bono Australia change maker, read on for our fascinating interview with him!

Describe your career trajectory and how you got to your current position.

My career really started as a wide-eyed teenager, fuelled by youthful zest and a less than impressive ability to hammer a nail. The experience that kicked it all off was a church youth group adventure to a refugee camp to build a classroom. The impact was profound – suddenly, I craved a life of adventure, travel, and meaningful impact.

Another overseas service trip during high school cemented my resolve, proving that my passion wasn’t just a passing phase but a calling. No sooner had I avoided my high school graduation with a trip to the Northern Territory, I wasted no time and jumping back on a plane and volunteering overseas, armed with youthful exuberance, a desire to change lives, and very little else really.

I eventually found myself drilling holes in the mud, and realised I had a bit more of an adventurous spirit to actually make a difference, so off to university I went, determined to equip myself with the skills needed to tackle the world’s toughest challenges. Armed with a degree, I ventured into the professional world as an intern, mastering the art of making coffee and turning up to meetings (more or less) on time. Perhaps my coffee was bad, but I was soon given a paid role, and more meetings to attend.

Then came my big break – a proper paid overseas posting to North Korea that no one else wanted to do. Little did I know, that was just the beginning of the most challenging years of my life. After one year in North Korea, the Asian Tsunami struck while we were on annual leave, and we were recalled to assist with the humanitarian mission in Thailand. This period in North Korea and responding to the Tsunami was a rollercoaster of emotions, from moments of exhilaration to heart-wrenching trauma.

After these intense years, I decided to take a breather and explore the business world for a while. I bought a suit and a corporate office became my new adventure playground. But the suit never really fit, I hate shiny shoes, and the allure of making a real difference in the poorest parts of the world was just too strong to resist, pulling me back into the humanitarian sector as a regional program director for Asia, based in Thailand.

Five years of navigating cultural nuances and internal political challenges, I found myself back in Australia with the same organisation, this time in senior programming and strategy roles. And then, five years into that role, I found myself here as CEO of AOP.

So here I am, leading a team of passionate individuals, on a whole different adventure. I still consider myself young, but so far it’s been a journey filled with highs, lows, and more than a few unexpected detours. But one thing has remained constant – the unwavering desire to making a positive difference in the lives of others. And that is the greatest adventure of them all.

What does this role mean to you?

I’ve learned that in the realm of leadership, advice is cheap, and criticism? Well, that’s free, unlimited, and comes with a side of opinions.

Before this role I had spent most of my career in secondary leadership roles providing advice, criticism, and opinions (sometimes unsolicited!) to those who sat in the leadership chair. And I was starting to notice an emerging pattern – I was lamenting decisions made by others more and more.

So, I decided the best antidote to this unhealthy mindset was to take on a role where there is no where to hide. As CEO it’s a very different gig – the emphasis is less on giving advice to others, and more on finding good people, enabling them, and taking responsibility. For me, the role means accountability. I think I’ve become more circumspect about the advice I offer, and less critical of other’s decisions.

Take us through a typical day of work for you.

My days are a symphony of meetings and troubleshooting, far from the adrenaline-pumping days of North Korea or chasing disasters. Mundane? Perhaps. But with a young family, I cherish every moment away from the chaos. My role revolves around enabling my fantastic team to do their best work, and witnessing them doing remarkable things in the world brings me joy. It’s a different kind of adventure, one where success is measured in the achievements of others, rather than surviving the day unscathed. Right now, any day without being dragged away from my family is a good day in my book.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your career, and how did you overcome it?

Forgive the detour into the spiritual, but navigating North Korea and the aftermath of the Tsunami with my wife (we were newly married at the time) was like being tossed into the set of a TV show that combines the physical and emotional aspects of Alone with the social politics of Survivor, but on a global scale. We went from the comforts of Australia to the relentless and infuriating conditions of North Korea, and then onto the extraordinary tragedy of the tsunami disaster. The experience left us questioning, feeling helpless, and utterly drained.

How did I overcome it? By giving myself permission to ask the deepest questions, even when answers seemed elusive. Faith played a strong role. Not because it always provided solace – it didn’t – but because it allowed me to look everywhere for answers. Without faith, I would have had fewer places to seek answers and consequently I don’t think I would have eventually found the peace I did.

Taking a breather was also crucial. Stepping away for five years allowed me to rediscover my passion for service and confront those burning questions head-on. Faith didn’t just offer refuge; it spurred me to dissect and understand, even when answers felt slippery.

In the end, it wasn’t actually about finding all the answers, but about uncovering enough to move forward. Faith, permission to doubt, and a well-deserved hiatus – a recipe for overcoming even toughest challenges.

If you could go back in time, what piece of advice would you give yourself as you first embarked on your career?

If I could whisper advice to my younger self at the career starting line, it’d be simple: Go for it. Grab life with both hands and suck the life out of it. I wouldn’t change much; I’ve mostly lived that way. Well, maybe with fewer risks these days – a dash of wisdom with the same adventurous spirit.

How do you unwind after work?

My kids are my tonic. The rollercoaster of dad-life brings both the greatest lows and highs, yet the joys are unparalleled. Their love and energy are the perfect antidote to any life stress I’ve encountered so far. Simply sitting with them on the couch after a long day – that’s enough for me.

What was the last thing you watched, read or listened to?

Ah, brace yourself for the nerd alert! I’m knee-deep into “The Design Inference: Eliminating Chance through Small Probabilities.” It’s math-heavy, a stark contrast to my school days of dodging equations. But the beauty of math revealed itself during my Master’s degree. I guess I’m now making up for lost time! The concept of the design inference is clever and the way the authors apply it is utterly fascinating. So there – I’m actually just a nerd…