Board Spotlight: Camila Thome, Kellogg Fellow

Housing Forward has engaged in a partnership with the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University. As a part of their MBA program, a Kellogg fellow joins the Housing Forward board of directors as an ex-officio member for a year. May 2025 marks the third year of our involvement and brings a new Kellogg Fellow to our board. Meet Camila!

Camila is originally from Brazil where she has been engaged in housing and homelessness initiatives. This work includes helping to build a home in a favela and driving corporate partnerships that supported NGOs with funding, in-kind donations, and volunteer efforts.

In her role at Egon Zehnder, a global human capital consulting firm, Camila led the research efforts for consulting projects across the Americas. This work supported both for-profit and nonprofit organizations on executive search, leadership development, board effectiveness, and organizational design. She also founded and co-led the ESG Committee for Latin America, advancing sustainability initiatives within the firm. Once she completes her MBA at Northwestern, she plans to return to Egon Zehnder and continue working at the intersection of strategy, leadership development, and social impact.

Camile is passionate about supporting leadership development in the public sector. She believes empowering public service leaders is one of the most meaningful ways to drive positive societal change. In the longer term, she hopes to contribute to expanding Egon Zehnder’s presence in Latin America, strengthening their impact in leadership development, governance, and organizational transformation. She chose Kellogg because of its strong emphasis on leadership, collaboration, and social impact. These values align with her goal of using business and strategy as tools to drive systemic change.

Housing has always been a cause close to Camila’s heart. She is “inspired” by Housing Forward’s holistic, client-centered approach and its commitment to long-term impact. She is particularly inspired by how Housing Forward addresses not only immediate needs like shelter and meals, but also long-term solutions through employment assistance, healthcare services, and permanent supportive housing.

“I have seen firsthand how access to stable housing can transform lives, not just by providing shelter, but by creating opportunities for education, employment, and health. Housing Forward’s mission to transition people from housing crisis to housing stability deeply resonates with my values.”

As part of her fellowship, Camila will work on a project for Housing Forward that utilizes her experience and the skills she learns at Northwestern.

“Given Housing Forward’s thoughtful approach to balancing mission-driven expansion with operational sustainability, I would love to work on initiatives that help strengthen decision-making frameworks, enhance strategic planning processes, or deepen board collaboration. I am looking forward to working closely with the team to co-create a project that is both meaningful and impactful.”

Welcome Camila!