Social Media and Storytelling Intern Grayson Kilburn had the opportunity to meet with Arnold Daniels Jr., one of the new Board members at Global Ties Iowa. During this interview, they discussed his past and current professions, travel ambitions, and interest in international affairs.
Arnold is an entrepreneur with his own limousine renting service and is a Board member at several organizations. With his business, he is always on call, which doesn’t allow him a lot of free time. He is also busy with the other organizations that he volunteers with, so he definitely has his hands full on a day-to-day basis.
When asked how he became interested in international affairs and citizen diplomacy, he stated that when he was young in Washington D.C., he was a designated playmate of foreign ambassadors and
U.S. Foreign Services Officers' children under the auspices of Meridian International. From there, he went on to study anthropology and foreign affairs at Columbia University, which first sparked his interest in meeting and engaging with people in other countries. Additionally, Arnold worked as a liaison for the Department of State for 15 years, which continued to grow his interest in international affairs and citizen diplomacy. In this position, Arnold “explored the nooks and crannies of America” by traveling with official guests of the United States government. He was able to see several different cities that ranged from different cultures, geography, and people which allowed him to experience the United States to its fullest. Because of this, although he has done a lot of world travel, his favorite country is still the United States.
When it comes to Global Ties Iowa and volunteering with the organization, Arnold feels connected to this type of work.
Being involved with Global Ties Iowa and helping and interacting with different people from all around the world is nostalgic for him because he spent a large amount of time working in a similar position. He has only been involved with Global Ties Iowa for a few months, but he has already committed a great amount of his time to the organization and helping in any way that he can.
Arnold recently attended our Annual Meeting where he won the “Hit the Ground Running” Award. He received this award because he immediately became super involved with the organization after he joined, volunteering to help visiting delegations and assisting in any way he could. He has already shown great enthusiasm, commitment, and passion for Global Ties Iowa, and he hopes to continue that as he grows in his role as a Board member. We are so excited for Arnold and to see what the future holds for him at Global Ties Iowa!