Reed Mettler’s path to New York City traces back to Phoenix College (PC). As a part of
PC’s Honors Program, Reed discovered the Model United Nations (UN) and then again
when taking Albert Celoza's World Religions course. Reed went on to lead PC’s
delegation to conferences in Chicago, Illinois and Ventura, California, and he served as
Secretary-General at a conference, igniting Reed’s passion for diplomacy.
When exploring transfer options, Reed considered west coast colleges like Lewis &
Clark, Reed, Pomona, and Occidental College. He found the perfect fit in Occidental
College's Diplomacy and World Affairs major. The College’s unique Model UN Program,
known as Oxy at the UN, drew Reed to transfer and study in New York City (NYC) in fall
of 2006.
Although Reed initially ruled out east coast schools such as Colgate, Bard, Bowdoin,
and others due to the cold, the allure of NYC—the diversity, culture, energy and the
overall vibe—captured Reed’s heart. After completing his degree at Occidental (in Los
Angeles, CA), Reed spent a year back in Phoenix substitute teaching at the elementary
school he attended. In May 2008, he took the leap and moved to New York City.
Reed's career flourished over 13 years at Soho House, where he eventually led Human Resources (HR) and Learning & Development. Now, as the HR Director at Gloat, a groundbreaking HR Tech startup, Reed continues to apply the skills and knowledge rooted at Phoenix College. While Reed's current focus isn't in diplomacy, he acknowledges the profound impact of his Phoenix College experience on his daily life.
Reed says, “Though I'm not working in diplomacy proper at the moment, I continue to
apply what I learned, which is either rooted at or nurtured by Phoenix College. I'm
writing about my time at PC on a deceptively sunny, 9-degree day here in NYC. There's
snow on the ground and it's cold, but capturing these memories keeps me warm.”