Kalle Kamal Eko is the Communications and Marketing Manager for Catholic Relief Services in West Africa, where he combines storytelling with social media to amplify the organization’s humanitarian work. With over a decade of experience in communications, Eko began his career as the first social media intern in Chicago’s mayor’s office, later taking on roles at City Colleges of Chicago, the MacArthur Foundation and the Asia Society. His work now involves traveling throughout Africa to document impactful projects, using his Medill-honed skills to navigate the challenges of communication and cultural diversity.
What is your current role, and what does it entail?
I’m the Communications and Marketing Manager for Catholic Relief Services in the West Africa region. We’re a humanitarian organization focused on emergency response, development work, resilience-building after disasters, and education efforts like school feeding programs. My job is to find creative ways to share these stories and highlight our impact. I work on getting media placements, creating social media content like TikTok videos and Instagram reels, and showcasing field projects. Recently, I was in Senegal at a women-run palm oil factory. I filmed the work there and added music to capture the singing and dancing that happens in the factory—it’s about presenting our stories in a way that resonates with audiences.
What brought you to this role? What was your career path like?
My career began 10 years ago in Chicago’s mayor’s office as the first social media intern, which opened my eyes to storytelling through social media. It was Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s first term, and as the youngest person in the office, I set up the city’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, curated content, structured the blog, and strategized on how a public official could use Instagram—things that were new back then. After that, I went to Medill to hone my storytelling skills. Medill didn’t have a social media focus at the time, but I was able to build my skills in digital storytelling.
After Medill, I returned to Chicago to work with City Colleges of Chicago as their social media director. In that role, I focused on creative engagement strategies, like celebrating graduations on social media and boosting engagement with hashtags. Then, I joined the MacArthur Foundation as their social media manager, where I expanded my focus beyond Chicago, managing global projects and major announcements like the MacArthur Genius Grants. That role set me up to take on more international work, and now, with Catholic Relief Services, I cover a whole region, traveling to Africa every few months to document our projects.
How did you combine your social media and communications skills with meaningful, impactful work?
After working in city government and higher education, joining the MacArthur Foundation gave me global exposure. I managed announcements for the MacArthur Genius Grants and traveled to countries like Ghana and India to work on various projects. This broadened my skills and allowed me to focus more on digital media. Later, at the Asia Society, I expanded into podcasts, newsletters, and video projects, covering all of Asia. Now, at Catholic Relief, I use all those skills and more as I travel frequently to document our work in Africa.
What are some challenges you face in your current role?
Funding is a constant challenge, as it directly affects what we can do. We always have to think carefully about our audience, message, and the resources we have available. Language can also be a barrier, as our staff speak both French and English, so balancing communication in both languages is key. Navigating cultural differences and stakeholder needs in various countries is another ongoing challenge.
What skills from Medill have been most useful in your career?
Medill is a practical place, not a theoretical one. We were out there doing stories, experimenting with different storytelling platforms, and that hands-on experience was invaluable. Social media platforms have evolved since I graduated—Instagram has more video content, Twitter is different, and Facebook’s popularity has shifted—so the most important thing I learned was flexibility. Medill taught me to analyze new platforms, understand their audiences, and evaluate whether my organization should be on them. Medill really prepared me to adapt and use any medium to reach the right audience.
If you could give advice to new Medill graduates, what would it be?
The best advice I can offer is to really stay flexible and patient throughout your career journey. Flexibility means staying open to a wide range of opportunities, even ones you might not initially consider ideal. Right after college, I didn’t have a full-time job lined up and ended up working in various roles—from city government to fellowships and even a stint at Best Buy—just to keep moving forward. The job market was tough, but this period taught me resilience and opened up new perspectives. Eventually, I found a role in the mayor’s office, which led me to social media, a field I hadn’t previously thought about. Looking back, if I hadn’t been patient and open, I might never have found my niche.
When I started as a social media manager, platforms and strategies were vastly different. Over time, I’ve had to adapt continuously as they evolved, reminding me that flexibility is essential in today’s dynamic job landscape. Patience is equally crucial—you might not get your dream job right away, but every experience builds skills and brings you closer to your goals. Taking a long-term view and trying out various paths without despair can be incredibly rewarding in the end.