James Havey
It is with great pleasure that we share the news that returned Maryknoll lay missioner James Havey (Class of 2012) has been selected by the Ignatian Solidarity Network as co-recipient of this year’s Moira O’Donnell Emerging Leaders Award.
The O’Donnell Award, given annually since 2016, honors young adult leaders (ages 23-33) who have received an undergraduate degree from a U.S. Jesuit university and have demonstrated significant social justice leadership in their communities.
After graduating from Marquette University, James, a native of Cincinnati, was looking for a way to put his degree and faith into action. As an Eagle Scout, he has felt a call to serve and transform the world from a young age. He served as a Maryknoll lay missioner in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for seven years. During those years, his primary focus was on human trafficking.
James Havey (left) and his anti-human-trafficking research team at a spiritual retreat in Kep, Cambodia.
As a research manager for Chab Dai International, he oversaw a longitudinal study on aftercare for individuals transitioning out of human trafficking. This study was the first of its kind looking at the long-term impacts and best practices around aftercare, following individuals for 10 years.
Since completing his service with Maryknoll Lay Missioners in 2020, he continues to support Chab Dai International from London. After witnessing firsthand how multinational companies’ procurement policies have a direct effect on the lives of manufacturing communities around the world, he is currently pursuing a career in ethical procurement. He is a Sustainability Scholar at the University of Kent pursuing a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), and also a procurement executive at an SaaS company called Social Value Portal (SVP).
James will receive the Moira O’Donnell Emerging Leaders Award on April 27, 2022 at the Ignite dinner at St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish in New York City. At the same event, Marie Dennis, the long-term director of the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, and prominent social ethicist Father Bryan Massingale will also be recognized for their life work toward justice.
Read more about James’ work with Maryknoll Lay Missioners.
Karen Bortvedt Estrada is the recruitment and relationship manager of Maryknoll Lay Missioners. She served as a Maryknoll lay missioner with the Deaf Development Programme in Cambodia from 2014 to 2017.
