Life is short -- enjoy and keep learning and experiencing new things.
/My time in high school
Attended high school in the
1990s
Overall high school experience
8/10. High school was hard academically, but it was fun to learn and the social environment at [school name omitted] at that time was very positive and supportive.
Grades in high school
Mostly A's. Took almost all APs offered, did very well.
Best subjects
English, History / Social Studies, Foreign Language, Math
Struggled with...
AP chem and physics were very hard for me -- it just may be about my learning or comprehension style.
Favorite extracurricular
Performance Art
Life since high school
Attended college / university at
Stanford University
Majored in
Majored in Earth Systems which was a mistake -- it had too many requirements and was very science heavy. Should have gone with international relations.
Post-graduate education or training
Went to Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton for a maters. An amazing program that provided access to a lot of things. It was also free if you got in, which was even more awesome.
Places lived in US
District of Columbia (Washington D.C.), New York
Current occupations / past occupations
work in foreign policy -- has included United Nations, Senate, US State Department and think tanks.
Industries I've worked in
- Public Administration (e.g. Government, Police, Judicial, etc.)
- think tanks
Did your education prepare you for your career or occupation?
Only my masters degree helped with my career specifically -- earlier education was more general and just helpful overall in learning how to think and do.
Has your education or career/occupation trajectory ever changed? How?
Yes -- in college I was slated to be an environmental scientist and now I do foreign policy. I changed focus after a particularly good internship and with the help of contacts, including Stanford professors.
A little introspection...
To me, being successful means...
Doing what you want to do and having a good balance between work, family and life.
My definition of success has changed over time.
It used to be focused only on work success, now it is more holistic.
My greatest accomplishment to date and what I’ve learned from it
Getting myself into a good grad school that helped me career wise and introduced me to wonderful friends was very positive for my life -- its not what one would think of as a traditional accomplishment, but it's the best thing I did for myself in my 20s.
My biggest mistake or regret so far and what I’ve learned from it
Letting fear guide me or hold me back. You can't let fear be your guiding principal -- take risks and make mistakes and own them -- there is no right or wrong way to live life. Also, career ambition is great, but don't forget your personal life!
An unexpected event that changed my life and how it impacted me
Loss of a parent had a big negative impact.
This alumni is open to your questions and follow-ups.
In order to protect anonymity, we will pass along your message and they can choose whether to respond.
My favorite spot in or around Palo Alto
The Main Library! What a great place.
