Current Residence Fairfax, Virginia Activities/Clubs/Sports you participated in during high school Cross Country, Track and Field, Student Council, FCA, National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society Education following high school University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (BS, International Economics), Georgetown University (MA, National Security) Current Career/Job- Brief description, location, company, etc. Chief, Office of Legislative Affairs at the Defense Intelligence Agency. I lead all engagements with Congress, advocating for resources and authorities for my agency to ensure we can execute missions effectively. We provide intelligence briefings and information to Congress on a wide range of defense issues. Career/Job Highlights: Is there a project, achievement or milestone that stands out as especially meaningful? I played a critical role in the stand up of a new directorate within DIA. As the Chief of Staff of the directorate, I organized all manpower and resources, and served as a key advisor to the leadership. That directorate became central to the execution of the mission for DIA and being a part of such a massive change was a great challenge and opportunity. What did it mean to be a “Silver Streak” to you? Fond memories, meaningful events, etc. Being a Silver Streak meant being a part of a series of communities. From the town to the sports teams, there was always something to be a part of and support. Some of my favorite memories are Friday night team get- togethers before a meet the next day. Railroad Days, county fairs, and other events were great opportunities to be with not only classmates but with the wider community. How has your background/education in Galesburg contributed to your current career success? Explain Growing up in Galesburg helped me in a lot of ways. The outstanding education directly helped me in college, opening doors to internships with Congress and with the State of Illinois trade office in Mexico. The opportunity to be a Rotary exchange student, sponsored by the Galesburg Sunrise Rotary Club, and live abroad shaped my desire to be in public service and work in international affairs. If you could go back and give your high school self one piece of advice, what would it be? Why? Take chances and whether in friendships or in new experiences, never think you aren’t enough. I came close to missing out on opportunities and fantastic people because of self doubt and fear of rejection. I had a friend sit me down and tell me that I was the only person stopping myself. After that, I started applying for internships and positions even when I didn’t think I had a chance, started approaching people rather than waiting for them to come to me. I’d rather try and miss the mark than wonder “what if.” What skills do you believe are most important for today’s students? Explain I think a willingness to stay flexible and pivot is critical, along with good soft skills. Technology is changing the world and employment so rapidly. People need to be able to adapt to new opportunities and grow new skills as needed. But even with technology, having good communication and relationship building skills will remain invaluable and shouldn’t be ignored. For Fun: What was your favorite school lunch? I loved the pasta bar, by far my favorite lunch option in high school. For Fun: What song would have been your “theme” song in high school? “How Bizarre" by OMC. It seemed to be everywhere my senior year, and was a song that was constantly on the radio. When I think of hanging out with my friends, this is a song that instantly comes to mind.