Pronouns: She/her
Year Graduated: 2021
What is your current job title and organization?
Associate Legislative Director, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of the United States
Why did you choose the Evans School?
In addition to Evans being close by, the school is highly ranked among peers across the nation which was very important to me. I was confident I would be earning a high quality public policy degree.
How has your Evans education prepared you for your career?
As a veteran, my Evans degree enabled me to look more critically at myriad issues impacting military service members, families, and retirees, as well as likely impacts of legislative and policy decisions on each group. On a daily basis, I employ my learned knowledge and skills in the areas of stakeholder analysis and engagement, economics, advocacy, management and organizational behavior, policy analysis, program evaluation, and especially, memo writing. I routinely am surprised at how well prepared I was for this role.
What have you been up to after graduating?
A lot! On Capitol Hill, I’ve worked with House and Senate staffers and lawmakers to create federal legislation in both chambers, and even played a part in the historic passage of the PACT Act. Moreover, I have been interviewed and spoken at press conferences, written and presented testimony before Congress, and even penned a letter to the White House. I routinely meet with high-level officials from the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, as well as representatives from many organizations across the advocacy and research spaces. I heavily focus on service member quality of life issues that impact recruiting and retention such as mental health care access, housing quality, and military sexual assault and harassment. Moreover, issues impacting transitioning service members (those leaving the military) act as a cornerstone of my portfolio.
What are you enjoying?
Honestly, using the platform I have been given by the VFW to advocate on behalf of service members who often are voiceless. Our organization is a force on Capitol Hill and our team is among the best I have ever worked with. A lot happens when passionate veterans come together to advocate for those coming behind us.
Why have you decided to give back to the Evans School?
Because my role has given me priceless insights in to the vital importance of advocacy. Every person has a story to tell, and those stories are critical in legislative and policy processes. At Evans we were taught to identify and include all stakeholders—especially those who are often left out of discussions and/or may be negatively impacted by the decisions of those with power and influence. Capitol Hill moves at an incredibly fast pace and turnover is frequent, which means advocates are critical to ensure the voices, experiences, and concerns of all stakeholder groups are routinely heard. It is not enough to hope all perspectives are heard in consequential discourse. We must be at the table each and every time. I seek to empower more Evans students to bring their knowledge, skills, and voices to every level of policy discussions.