Adam Steinberg

Karma: 161

Previous to my 15+ years as an international educator presenting chiefly English Language and Literature in Germany and Wales, I held a range of roles in editing, writing and project management, mostly in line with education and some in the philanthropic realm, in Chicago, Seattle and NYC. Highlights from that period include serving as editor-in-chief and volunteer coordinator for an annual magazine for Earth Day Chicago, editing technical articles for Microsoft, and producing (product managing) award-winning children’s educational software for Edmark.
I also worked as a copywriter at a German high-tech industrial ad agency for some time.

I left teaching in 2021 to commence a career shift into an impact role in comms and development. Since 2022, I’ve been communications and outreach lead (PT) for the Charity Elections program, a project “incubated” by Giving What We Can, as of summer 2024 I am also Donor Relations Coordinator (PT) at ALLFED, responsible for stewardship, fundraising systems, and more.

I am interested in exploring ways to apply my strengths in relationship development, communication and writing, editing, storytelling, planning, creative problem-solving, project coordination, and other areas, in a role collaborating with others to explain, explore and inspire solutions to today’s social and environmental problems. The most on-target opportunities seem to be centered in outreach, fundraising and stewardship/donor care, PR, “content,” or marketing (and I have not ruled out education/training and curriculum development).

Current personal interests related to EA include deepening my understanding of various areas of EA including longtermism and cause prioritization, exploring and developing the stories we use to bring EA to a wider audience, and looking at current thinking around the application of EA approaches and ideas in educational contexts and the working world.

I’m also a sometime volunteer editor for various EA organizations and Kiva.org, served on the Comms Team for High Impact Professionals, have been occasional copyeditor for The Unjournal, and founded and advised several student green clubs. Outside all this, I’m an amateur songwriter (www.lyricist.net) with musical theatre cred in the form of a Tisch MFA and various readings in Chicago and NYC. highlight: An original poem of mine was read on NPR by the poetry editor of the New Yorker magazine. I’ve got one especially nice blog entry up for Giving What We Can. Meanwhile, writing and editing stuff can be glimpsed at www.adamedit.com. My family is returning to the EU in 2025.

Thanks for reading!

Adam Steinberg Apr 1, 2025, 5:00 AM
2 points
1 ∶ 0
on: 80,000 Hours: Job Board → Job Birds
Love the birds! If you were able to include their bird calls or song, that might make your venture even better a place to maintain one’s mental wellness amidst the job hunt.

Adam Steinberg Nov 6, 2024, 3:31 PM
8 points
2 ∶ 0
on: AMA: Rick Holland, Fundraising expert and Director of Confident Philanthropy
Heya, Rick. To what extent would you say that the donor landscape of EA-associated individuals requires a different approach, from a fundraising perspective, to those outside EA? What tips might you have for an organization aiming to diversify outside the bubble?

And, frankly, the bullet-pointed questions in the lead-in are all of interest, especially (for me) common mistakes made by EA organizers, working with existing funders to find new ones, and the Beatles, of course. Whatever you have bandwidth for based on other questions. Many thanks!

Adam Steinberg May 11, 2024, 1:54 PM
2 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: Adam Steinberg’s comment on: How you can help right now to introduce ideas of effective giving to young people
FYI @André Kirschner I have a volunteer looking at translating into German now, though some parts have to wait until next school year’s three presented charities are selected, which we hope will be by early June.

How you can help right now to introduce ideas of effective giving to young people

Adam SteinbergApr 17, 2024, 11:50 AM

39 points

4 comments4 min readEA link

Adam Steinberg Apr 17, 2024, 9:54 AM
1 point
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: André Kirschner’s comment on: How you can help right now to introduce ideas of effective giving to young people
Hi, @André Kirschner. We are able to run the program in Germany, though it has not yet been translated into German. If you have thoughts about schools that might be interested, I might be able to dive into my contacts and find localization resources.

Adam Steinberg Dec 30, 2023, 8:25 AM
1 point
1 ∶ 0
on: Mike, Mouse, Moth, Machine
I enjoyed your piece (and adore the title—so atypical for the Forum; perhaps we need more like it). It makes me think about AI alignment and the question, “Can AI ever be truly in line with our values if it cannot feel empathy?” Which could be argued to translate to, ”..if it cannot suffer?”

Adam Steinberg Apr 7, 2023, 2:12 PM
1 point
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: Timothy Chan’s comment on: New Cause Area: Portrait Welfare (+introducing SPEWS)
I was thinking more of how we submit fruit of all varieties to the ordeal of extremely gruelling (they must sit still for hours or days at a time) and potentially humiliating still lifes.

Adam Steinberg Apr 7, 2023, 7:24 AM
3 points
1 ∶ 0
on: New Cause Area: Portrait Welfare (+introducing SPEWS)
What about fruit? HAVE FRUIT NOT RIGHTS?

Adam Steinberg Feb 14, 2023, 9:56 AM
3 points
0 ∶ 0
on: A Study of EA Orgs’ Social Media
Would love to see a similar analysis for LinkedIn, for example. There are a decent list of groups, from 80K to GWWC, Founders Pledge to the project I work with, GWWC Charity Elections, that aim to target people as professionals, or in specific professions or professional contexts. It would be instructive to see what success EA has had engaging audiences through that platform, and how.

CTA: Help GWWC Charity Elections upscale by connecting us to legal counsel in new regions

Adam SteinbergFeb 13, 2023, 6:05 PM

39 points

2 comments1 min readEA link

Adam Steinberg Dec 31, 2022, 1:24 PM
2 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: justaperson’s comment on: A case for targeted introductions to effective giving for specific (workplace) audiences
Great points! I appreciate your concern about the original ideas being aimed too much at the job title and not enough at the individual, and your thoughts on downside risks are also well taken. I like where you take these ideas from a marketing standpoint, as well.

I have been encouraged by recent developments like the appointment of a head of communications at CEA, and hope ideas like those in my entry above—and improvements upon them, much as you have offered—will be considered increasingly in the coming months.

Adam Steinberg Nov 27, 2022, 6:16 PM
2 points
1 ∶ 0
in reply to: Sanjay’s comment on: An EA storybook for kids
Stories are powerful things. I know it is just anecdotal, but I would wager The Lorax and possibly other books (The Giving Tree comes to mind in this moment) boosted my interest in environmental protection. Though it may be I was already tending in that direction as a child and they just fit my sensibilities. I mean, I was also reading Konrad Lorenz pretty young...

Adam Steinberg Nov 18, 2022, 2:20 PM
5 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: Guy Raveh’s comment on: Call to Action: Help your high school gain sponsorship to run a charity election
Guy, do let me know if there is anything else I can answer to help you decide whether to recommend the program to your school. Thanks! -Adam-

Adam Steinberg Oct 4, 2022, 1:43 PM
3 points
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: Guy Raveh’s comment on: Call to Action: Help your high school gain sponsorship to run a charity election
Greg G., our project lead, sent me this information: Last year, a high school with limited English skills ran the event. Here is a testimonial from the teacher. (She requested sponsorship to run another charity election this year. )
”It had been a fulfilling experience for my students, they have not only learned about not charities but also got a chance to practice their language skills which is incredible! What a great accomplishment!”
While we have not started a process of localization for the program, it is a goal to start in the next year. In the meantime, however, it seems the program shows some success with English language learners.

Call to Action: Help your high school gain sponsorship to run a charity election

Adam SteinbergOct 3, 2022, 8:24 AM

25 points

3 comments4 min readEA link

Adam Steinberg Sep 4, 2022, 2:38 PM
1 point
0 ∶ 0
on: Who wants to be hired? (May-September 2022)
- Location: Currently Manila, Philippines, and thus primarily looking for remote work.
- Remote: Yes.
- Willing to relocate: Prefer remote, but right pull-factors and who knows!
- Skills: Highly versatile and creative communicator (over 10 years of experience) with a drive towards clear and effective messaging honed on professional, fundraising, marketing, creative, educational, and technical texts for diverse audiences in many media.
I’ve returned to the communications and development spaces after over a decade teaching English Language and Literature in international schools (Germany, Wales). Boasting a diverse background in publishing, media, and the arts developed in prior years, my strengths span writing/copywriting, editing, digital storytelling, marketing/PR, and project coordination, with special skills in teaching/training and relationship development. My mission: to use these skills, collaborating with passionate others, to explain, explore, and inspire solutions to today’s problems and improve lives. I am working remotely, at least temporarily, from Southeast Asia.
- Presentation, planning, training, and interpersonal skills developed as project manager and as dedicated international educator for 15 years.
- Current PT role initiating, cultivating and stewarding relationships with major donors worldwide, but with a special focus on Oceania and Asia; collaborate on engagement, solicitation, and stewardship strategies and prospect research.
- Communications lead for Charity Elections (PT), a program supported by Giving What We Can, helping launch/upscale a small nonprofit project in schools. Involved in operations, outreach, promotions, writing of everything from grants to social media posts to curricula around effective giving.
- Experience as marketing copywriter/creative at industrial agency. Conceiving and writing social media and other promotional campaigns, websites, storylines, etc. for high tech B2B, from cybersecurity to the sustainable energy grid.
- Seeking a role in communications, such as marketing or outreach that achieves my mission above.
- Résumé/CV/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-steinberg1/ or visit adamedit.com for colorful gathering of writing/editing samples. DM or email me for an updated CV.
- Email: adamantic@gmail.com
- Notes:
  - I currently work half-time for The Life You Can Save and a few hours weekly for Charity Elections. I am seeking a role of or approaching 20 hours per week.
  - I am open to all causes and in many ways prefer multifaceted roles. (If I had to choose pet areas, they might include climate change, preservation of the oceans, and species/ecosystem protection.
  - I dove into EA in 2019 and while I do not claim to be an expert, I have a good grasp of all key concepts.
- Available from and until: now and forever.

Apply to run a 2022-23 charity election

greg.gianopoulosAug 1, 2022, 12:31 PM

15 points

1 comment2 min readEA link

Adam Steinberg Feb 20, 2022, 7:08 PM
1 point
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: JulianHazell’s comment on: Why you should contribute to Giving What We Can as a writer or content creator (opportunities inside!)
Thanks, Julian! It’s now posted—see link above.

Adam Steinberg Feb 20, 2022, 7:07 PM
1 point
0 ∶ 0
in reply to: PeterSlattery’s comment on: Why you should contribute to Giving What We Can as a writer or content creator (opportunities inside!)
Thanks again for your initial thoughts.
The post is now posted—here: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/nJP2iLJZxjF8z8frw/a-case-for-targeted-introductions-to-effective-giving-for

A case for targeted introductions to effective giving for specific (workplace) audiences

Adam SteinbergFeb 14, 2022, 8:31 PM

10 points

3 comments7 min readEA link

Adam Steinberg

How you can help right now to in­tro­duce ideas of effec­tive giv­ing to young people

CTA: Help GWWC Char­ity Elec­tions up­scale by con­nect­ing us to le­gal coun­sel in new regions

Call to Ac­tion: Help your high school gain spon­sor­ship to run a char­ity election

Ap­ply to run a 2022-23 char­ity election

A case for tar­geted in­tro­duc­tions to effec­tive giv­ing for spe­cific (work­place) audiences

How you can help right now to introduce ideas of effective giving to young people

CTA: Help GWWC Charity Elections upscale by connecting us to legal counsel in new regions

Call to Action: Help your high school gain sponsorship to run a charity election

Apply to run a 2022-23 charity election

A case for targeted introductions to effective giving for specific (workplace) audiences