Volunteer Spotlight: John Garbarino
For John Garbarino, volunteering with Powercoders has been an exhilarating journey of connection and growth. Starting with a passion for public speaking and a desire to make a social impact, he developed workshops that have become a staple in the Powercoders curriculum.
Interview with John Garbarino
Can you briefly introduce yourself and tell us about your background?
I will always be a New Yorker in my heart. It’s where I grew up and started my career, and I still have a lot of extended family there. My job at UBS brought me to Switzerland; the original plan was to stay here for 18 months. Twenty years and four children later, my wife and I are still happily discovering all that this wonderful country has to offer.
What do you do when you’re not working?
I have four kids – aged 18, 16, 14 and 12. They are the center of the world for my wife and me, so we spend a lot of time at school events, football matches and piano recitals. My ideal day starts on my mountain bike and ends with a good book, with lots of family time in between. We all enjoy travelling too – Japan is a particular favourite.
“I got to know two amazing Powercoders alumni in my department, and hearing their personal stories inspired me to get involved.”
– John Garbarino
What motivated you to join Powercoders and volunteer as a workshop leader?
Two forces collided in the autumn of 2022. First, I met two amazing Powercoders alumni in my department, and hearing their personal stories inspired me to get involved. Second, through my involvement in Toastmasters at UBS, I designed and led an internal workshop on public speaking skills, which I really enjoyed. I soon found myself on the phone with Linus Murbach, the programme manager at Powercoders, to suggest that he add such a workshop to his curriculum. He was very receptive to the pitch, our pilot was a success, and we took off from there – our workshop on 9 October 2024 was our fifth together.
What’s your first memory of volunteering as a workshop leader?
On 26 April 2023, I arrived at the Powercoders headquarters in Bern with four other UBS volunteers for our first in-person workshop. My voice was in quite a bad shape that day, so I changed my presentation to focus more on non-verbal communication – and it turned out to be a big hit, so now it is a regular part of our agenda.
How did you feel the last time you volunteered?
Energised! I often say that if I were not in banking, I would be an actor. For me, there’s no feeling quite like being ‘on stage’ – it’s really exhilarating when I feel that strong two-way connection with my audience.
“What I see at UBS is that the Powercoders alumni network is strong and growing: the veterans are always extremely supportive of the newbies!”
– John Garbarino
What would you say to someone thinking about volunteering?
Volunteering is about helping others, of course, but it pays you back tenfold, sometimes in unexpected ways – in my case, it’s how I met my wife! It’s also a fantastic team-building opportunity. My advice: Find something you are passionate about, jump in with both feet and make it a regular, long-term commitment.
What would you say to someone thinking about joining Powercoders?
Powercoders offers a challenging, well-rounded programme and has a great track record of matching people with opportunities, but the greatest value is in the peer group. It’s a place where you can build long-term relationships with other smart, motivated people. What I see at UBS is that the Powercoders alumni network is strong and growing: the veterans are always extremely supportive of the newbies!
What else can you tell me about Powercoders and your involvement as a volunteer?
Running these workshops gives me an outlet for my creative energy and I can see that my enthusiasm for public speaking is contagious. In fact, several Powercoders alumni at UBS are now part of my Toastmasters club, so we continue to work together on personal improvement.
“Our partnership demonstrates the business value of diversity. When I meet new hires from Powercoders, I can tell they feel right at home in the bank from the start – a powerful testament to our open culture, which helps us compete in the global talent market.”
– John Garbarino
How would you describe the relationship / partnership between UBS and Powercoders in your own words?
It’s not charity, it’s investment – and everyone wins. For the participants, the Powercoders programme clearly accelerates their transition into the Swiss labour market. For the bank, Powercoders has become a very valuable recruitment pipeline. For society at large, this collaboration is a shining example of how to integrate newcomers who often arrive in Switzerland under difficult circumstances. It’s this kind of smart, meaningful contribution to a better world that makes me proud to work at UBS.
How do you think the partnership between Powercoders and UBS can serve as a model for other collaborations?
Our partnership demonstrates the business value of diversity. When I meet new hires from Powercoders, I can tell they feel right at home in the bank from the start – a powerful testament to our open culture, which helps us compete in the global talent market. UBS should be seen as a place where any talented person can thrive, regardless of their background.
Anything you would like to add?
The theme of my recent Powercoders-UBS workshop was ‘Learning, growing and succeeding together’ and I hope that these two great organisations continue to do just that. Thank you for the opportunity to share my insights with you.
