Interview by Pete Humes
pete.humes@insidebiz.com
Lisa Arfaa is the newly appointed president and chief executive officer of Physicians for Peace.
She took the helm of the global health nonprofit on Oct. 13, succeeding Ron Sconyers, who retired after 11 years in the position.
Previously, Arfaa held positions as the CEO of Leadership Connection, vice president of Welch Way at the Jack Welch Management Institute and a principal at Potter Webster Group, a Washington, D.C., fundraising firm.
Arfaa is a graduate of Smith College and George Washington University, where she earned a master of arts in political management.
The core purpose of Physicians for Peace is “training, supporting and empowering health care professionals working with the world’s underserved populations.” Projects include work in the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, Africa and Asia.
Arfaa feels perfectly suited for the position, feeling that it combines aspects from the entirety of her professional career. She will draw on her work in leadership development, fundraising and nonprofits, as well as her experience in politics and the private sector. And of course, there is medicine.
Her father, Dr. Manoochehr Arfaa, came to America from Tehran in 1962. Growing up as the daughter of an Iranian surgeon kept Arfaa close to the medical profession and global issues. She even started down the path to become a physician before shifting toward politics.
Arfaa lives in Alexandria with her husband, Todd Webster — chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., — and their three children, Sydney (13), Peter (12) and Catherine (8). She will spend four days a week based in Norfolk and telecommute on Fridays.
She is an avid fan and frequent user of the FaceTime app.
Her early passion for politics
“When I was young, most kids were watching ‘Silver Spoons’ or shows like that, but I was always fascinated by ‘Meet the Press’ and ‘60 Minutes.’ My father and I would watch those shows growing up. I always had this fascination for debates and politics and would watch every inauguration from start to finish. It was just in my blood.”
Encouraging words
“My parents’ message was always, ‘You could be anything you want to be, you are just as good and great as any man, you’re not better or worse. You can be whoever you want to be. Yes, you can be the president of the United States ... and not just the first lady.’”
Making her own way
“I did all pre-med in undergrad. I remember leaving undergrad and applying for medical school and thinking, ‘Oh my god, I don’t want to do this.’ I go to the operating room with my father, and I get sick to my stomach. And I can remember when I went to my father and said, ‘I’m so afraid I’m going to disappoint you, but I’m not going to medical school. I want to work on Capitol Hill.’ He said, ‘Great, you are finally getting our message, it’s not that you need to follow in my footsteps and be a doctor, we want you to succeed, we want you to stand on your own two feet and use what you have and make it work.’”
Her political shift
“I believe that politics should be professionalized. People claim all of the time, ‘I’m not from Washington, so you should elect me, I’m not a professional politician.’ Well, I think you should be a professional politician because then you would understand what compromise means and that you would have to do it. You would understand the legislative process.
“I went to Capitol Hill, and I worked there for a while and loved the people I worked for, but also realized it was gradually getting nastier and nastier. I realized that it wasn’t going to be the place where I was going to effect the change I wanted.”
Making the leap to Physicians for Peace
“When I read over the job description, I realized a lot of what was needed was someone who understood organizationally how to bring out the best in everyone and build these teams so that the work can get done. I really know how to put the right people together to make the winning team. I had no intentions of ever leaving my other job but decided I really needed to go for it.”
Moving forward
“What I’m really looking forward to on that day-to-day level is pushing that refresh button and moving forward with these passionate and dedicated individuals who really, really want nothing more than to succeed at what they do and they love the work they’re doing.
“It’s hard to explain, I feel like I’m just tying my shoes over and over again ... it’s that easy. It’s that easy to communicate, it’s that easy to feel passionate about it. It’s exciting that I get to wake up every morning and feel like I really am changing the world.”
Defining Physicians for Peace
“People keep asking me if we’re like Doctors Without Borders. In layman’s terms, DWB is sort of a traveling M.A.S.H. unit. They set up and do triage and handle disasters in war-torn areas. PFP is sort of a traveling residency program. We send in professionals to help regions build up their medical infrastructure because we want to leave a community that can support itself. The idea is ‘Teach one, heal many.’”
Her hectic family schedule
“I think all five of us understand that we want to succeed, and we can do it as a unit, but that means parts of us are going to have to bend for the others. So I think we really are that super, modern-day family that’s just trying to figure it out day by day. When you love each other, you make it work.”
On finding her “forever job”
“This is the first time in a 25-year career that I know I am home. I would never, ever have known that this would be my final stop. But actually, I do think there is one more job for me. I think it’s 15 or 20 years off — so Norfolk is stuck with me for a while — but if I am ever so lucky to become the president of Smith College? I wouldn’t mind that job.”
More information about Physicians for Peace is available at www.physiciansforpeace.org