Today on Y Connect, we're stepping into a global conversation. Over the past several weeks, our team has had the privilege of hosting Tushig Samdan, a nonprofit leader from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, who was in Atlanta through the U.S. Department of State's Professional Fellows Program. Tushig has spent nearly a decade leading the Badraa Foundation to Justice, an organization dedicated to expanding educational opportunities for Mongolian university students.
Joining Tushig for today's conversation is our colleague Ryan Greenstein, the Y's Advocacy Program Manager. Ryan first learned about this fellowship through his work at The Carter Center, and he actually spent time in Mongolia last year on an exchange visit before joining the Y. Ryan and Tushig worked together over the previous few weeks, and today we get to learn from their shared experience.
We're excited to talk about what brought Tushig to the U.S., what she's learned during her time with the YMCA, and the ways global partnerships can strengthen local impact.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
✅ How international exchange programs foster nonprofit leadership development through the U.S. Department of State's Professional Fellows Program, creating opportunities for cross-cultural learning and building sustainable government partnerships that strengthen community impact across continents.
✅ Strategies for building sustainable alum mentorship networks and educational opportunity initiatives that create long-term organizational sustainability, including how fundraising models and endowments can support youth development across generations.
✅ The power of community engagement and nonprofit collaboration in addressing challenges during uncertain times, demonstrating how civic organizations work together with corporations and government to prioritize community needs and create intentional partnerships.
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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Tushig Samdan from Mongolia and Ryan Greenstein discuss international exchange programs and nonprofit leadership development
02:54 Tushig describes her professional development experience through the Professional Fellows Program, emphasizing cross-cultural learning and community engagement
04:57 Ryan shares his reciprocal Mongolia visit and the importance of hosting fellows from civic organizations to build government partnerships and strengthen international relationships
06:49 Tushig highlights impressive nonprofit collaboration between universities, corporations, and communities, noting how alumni mentorship programs create educational opportunity for students
14:03 Discussion of Y's community impact through early learning, teen leadership training, and accessible programs from infants to seniors, demonstrating organizational sustainability
17:50 The differences in fundraising models between Mongolia and the United States, and the value of the international exchange programs
25:24 Tushig shares her vision for creating Mongolia's first education-oriented endowment inspired by the Carter Center's model for building sustainable youth development
28:11 Closing gratitude and acknowledgment of host family, social enterprise connections, and the upcoming 2026 reciprocal exchange opportunity
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
💎 International exchange programs create a powerful return on investment for nonprofit leadership development by fostering lasting relationships between nations. Tushig's four-week experience through the Professional Fellows Program demonstrated how cross-cultural learning builds stronger leaders who carry lessons back home.
💎 Sustainable nonprofit collaboration requires intentional partnerships between civic organizations, corporations, and government. The stark difference between U.S. and Mongolian nonprofit ecosystems lies in established fundraising models, formal support systems, and coordinated responses during challenging times, such as government shutdowns, where community engagement ensures vulnerable populations continue to receive services.
💎 Building organizational sustainability beyond individual leadership creates generational impact. Inspired by the Carter Center's endowment model, designed to last beyond President Carter's lifetime, Tushig envisions creating Mongolia's first education-oriented endowment to support youth development, alum mentorship, and educational opportunity forever, transforming short-term passion into long-term community impact through social enterprise thinking.
ABOUT THE GUEST:
Munkhtushig (Tushig) Samdan is a board member of the Badraa Foundation to Justice, an education-oriented NGO in Mongolia established in 2006 to promote educational equity and empowerment. The foundation is dedicated to supporting Mongolian university students pursuing bachelor's degrees in business, finance, economics, and IT by providing scholarships and mentorship opportunities to those who might otherwise be unable to complete their studies.
Tushig has been actively involved with the foundation since 2014, serving as CEO for nearly a decade before transitioning to the board. Alongside her professional career and full-time job in mining construction projects as a Business Improvement Specialist, she has led initiatives to expand the foundation's reach and impact. Currently, she is spearheading the development of a structured mentorship program that connects alumni with alumni, students with alumni, creating a strong support network for academic and professional growth.
She holds a master's degree in Project Management, Finance, and Risk from City, University of London, and a bachelor's degree in Financial Management from the University of Finance and Economics in Mongolia.
Ryan Greenstein has served as Advocacy Program Manager at the YMCA of Metro Atlanta since January 2025. He focuses on water safety and manages the Atlanta Water Safety Coalition, which the Y co-founded in 2023. Ryan joined the Y from The Carter Center and previously lobbied for various nonprofits in Washington, DC.
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