A native of Long Beach, California, I completed my M.A. in U.S. History at Cal State Long Beach in December 2012. My comprehensive exams covered the history of technology, U.S. foreign relations, the American Revolution, and antebellum social movements. I am a member of the Phi Alpha Theta honor society, and was recently named to the Class of 2013 Dean's List. My goal is to gain experience working as a paralegal for a law firm/legal department, or as a research associate for a policy think tank, while I consider pursuing PhD or JD degrees. I worked in the foodservice and retail industries for a decade, acquiring management experience with a large regional company along the way. In my spare time, I like to run, volunteer at the National Archives and Records Administration, and go camping.