Introducing Kyra Gurney, Communications Officer

Meet Kyra Gurney, the newest member of Global Fund for Children’s Marketing and Communications team, and learn what inspired her to bring her background in journalism to GFC.

KYRA, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHERE YOU’RE FROM AND ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND?

I was born and raised in New Mexico. I spent a lot of time outdoors as a kid, hiking and camping in the mountains with my parents and my younger sister. As an adult, I’ve lived in a lot of different places, including Bogotá, New York, and Miami, but New Mexico will always feel like home to me. 

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY?

I loved visiting my grandmother in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She had kept most of her old clothes from the 1950s and would let my sister and me play dress-up. We would also go on walks in the city’s historic district and visit the Santa Fe Plaza, the main square. I loved the old adobe buildings almost as much as the ice cream my grandmother would sneak us when my parents weren’t looking.  

WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS LINE OF WORK, AND TO GFC?

My background is in journalism, and as a reporter covering education at the Miami Herald I had the opportunity to interview young people and write about the issues affecting them. Two experiences in particular had a major impact on me: covering the Parkland school shooting and the 2018 student-led uprising in Nicaragua. It was difficult to report on these events without being able to help the young people involved, apart from raising awareness about their struggles. After these experiences, I realized that I wanted to work for an organization that empowers children and young people. I was inspired by GFC’s work supporting youth-led and community-led organizations around the world and wanted to be part of the team. 

WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF YOUR JOB? WHAT WILL BE THE MOST SATISFYING?

Since most of my work experience is in journalism, I’m used to being the person on the outside asking questions – not the person answering them. I think it will be challenging for me to transition to a communications role, but it’s also something I’m excited about. I’m looking forward to learning new skills and using the skills I developed as a journalist to promote GFC’s work and the work of its partners. 

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE GFC’S WORK IS IMPORTANT?

GFC and its partners empower children and young people to advocate for their rights and shape their own futures. With all of the challenges we currently face around the world, supporting and advocating for children and young people has never been more important. GFC also recognizes that locally led organizations are the best equipped to help their communities, and this trust and respect strengthens its partnerships. 

#FunFacts About Kyra 

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY GROWING UP?

My sister and I loved to play with Beanie Babies. We would spend hours building houses for them out of blocks. 

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?

I wanted to be a novelist. I haven’t written any novels, but I am working on a nonfiction book about the illegal gold trade with some former colleagues from the Miami Herald. 

WHAT’S THE WEIRDEST THING YOU’VE EVER EATEN?

When I lived in Colombia, I tried hormigas culonas – large ants roasted with salt. They tasted like popcorn. 

DO YOU HAVE A PET PEEVE?

In the pre-pandemic world, I would get annoyed when someone was more than 15 minutes late to a meeting or social event. Now that everything is online, I find that I don’t mind as much. If someone is late to a Zoom meeting or coffee date, I can just keep working on something else until they’re ready. 

Flying. Airplanes make me nervous. I would love to be able to fly on my own!