Erik Heinonen
About Erik Heinonen
Erik Heinonen serves as the Head of Programming for East Asia & Pacific at Catholic Relief Services, where he has worked since 2021. He has over a decade of experience in humanitarian aid, having held various roles across multiple countries and organizations.
Work at Catholic Relief Services
Erik Heinonen currently serves as the Head of Programming for East Asia & Pacific at Catholic Relief Services, a position he has held since 2021. Prior to this role, he worked as the Acting Emergency Coordinator for three months in Maiduguri, Borno, Nigeria, in 2020. His experience at Catholic Relief Services also includes serving as an Emergency Program Manager in Maiduguri, Nigeria, for five months in 2017, and in Kharkiv, Ukraine, from 2014 to 2016. Additionally, he was the Head of the Emergencies Department in Bamako, Mali, from 2017 to 2019.
Education and Expertise
Erik Heinonen holds a Master of Arts in International Relations from Yale University, where he studied from 2011 to 2013. He also earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Colorado at Boulder, graduating with a GPA of 3.97 from 2003 to 2006. His educational background supports his strong analytic and research skills, which are essential in the humanitarian aid sector.
Background
Erik Heinonen has over a decade of experience in humanitarian aid, working across various regions including Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Africa. His career includes roles in different organizations, such as One Acre Fund, where he was a Program Associate in Burundi, and Mercy Corps, where he served as a Monitoring and Evaluation Intern in Tajikistan. His diverse experiences contribute to his versatility in the humanitarian sector.
Previous Work Experience
Before his current role, Erik Heinonen held multiple positions in humanitarian organizations. He worked as an Area Coordinator for GOAL Global in Severodonetsk, Ukraine, in 2016, and as a School and Community Health Education Volunteer with the Peace Corps in Moldova from 2007 to 2009. He also served as a Tourism and English Advising Volunteer in Panama for six months in 2009. His early career included roles as a Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant at Yale University.
Athletic Background
Erik Heinonen was a former Division I student-athlete and competitive distance runner. His athletic background informs his leadership style and mentoring approach, allowing him to effectively guide teams in high-pressure environments.