What was your first job after college and how did you get it?
My first job was as Executive Director of Des Moines Citizens for Community Improvement. I got this job after serving a year as a Jesuit Volunteer with Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.
How did you get your current job?
A contact from Columbia University was on the board of my current organization.
What experiences and/or course work in college best prepared you for this job or influenced your decision to do this work?
I spent a semester as an intern in Washington, D.C. Found the experience interesting but frustrating. Decided the best way to seek social change is outside the system rather than in it.
Any regrets? What experiences and/or course work might have better prepared you for this work?
Wish I had gone to law school.
Have you attended graduate school or are you considering graduate school? What degree do you have/would you want and why? Are there any limitations to advancement in your field if you do not have a certain graduate degree?
I received a Masters in Public Administration from Columbia University. There aren't necessarily limitations without a graduate degree in my field but it helps to have one.
