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What have you been up to since graduating from º£½ÇÖ±²¥?

I graduated in 2021 and that fall I started as a at based in Boston, Massachusetts. Jumpstart is an early education nonprofit focused on literacy and kindergarten readiness in under-resourced areas. As a fellow, I wore two hats: organizing community engagement events and leading policy and advocacy efforts in Massachusetts.

After the fellowship, I joined State Representative Marjorie Decker’s office, serving first as legislative director and then chief of staff. I grew up in the district, so the work felt deeply personal: helping constituents find housing when they were facing eviction, drafting legislation, and writing speeches. In 2024, I took a leave to run her re-election campaign, which we won by 41 votes.

This summer, I began a master’s program in public administration at the Maxwell School at Syracuse to deepen my skills in public management.

Why government and legal studies?

I came to º£½ÇÖ±²¥ planning to major in education, but I quickly realized that understanding government and policy was essential to creating meaningful change in education. Government and legal studies became the natural complement. I was drawn to the major because I’d seen firsthand, growing up in Cambridge with two moms, how government can shape values and opportunities, and how intentional policy decisions can empower families to thrive. At º£½ÇÖ±²¥, I concentrated in American politics with a focus on social welfare policies focused on supporting children and families. 

Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?

Professor Andrew Rudalevige, my thesis advisor, had a tremendous impact on my education. He always pushed me to dive deeper into issues and claims—usually recommending three or more new books in every meeting. He also consistently challenged me to sharpen my writing and to be more concise. That rigor instilled strong research skills, confidence in my writing, and a lasting interest in presidential power, which has only become more salient in recent years.

Professor Christian Potholm’s Maine Politics course also left a lasting impression. It taught me the political history of the state and more about how campaigns work: the role of money in politics and the strategy behind political advertising. The class coincided with the 2018 gubernatorial election, and we hosted one of the candidates to speak with us. The real-time connection between theory and practice deepened my interest in politics.

Finally, the º£½ÇÖ±²¥ Public Service in Washington program was formative. The weekly seminars brought in government officials who showed us what public policy work looks like in practice, and the DC trip connected us with º£½ÇÖ±²¥ alumni working across government and nonprofits. BPS made a career in government tangible, and played a large role in my decision to look for public service jobs following graduation. I am grateful to Sarah Chingos and the McKeen Center for making that experience possible.

What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates interested in your field?

Writing matters. Being able to communicate well in writing will get you in the door for most jobs, so trust your professors’ feedback and work to improve your craft. Relationships also matter. Integrity is key. If you commit to something, follow through. Working in government is challenging, but working for someone whose values align with yours makes every day worth it.

Lastly, enjoy Hubbard Hall. It was my favorite building to work in, and I really miss it.

What have you been up to since graduating from º£½ÇÖ±²¥?

Right after I graduated, I moved to New York City and worked at a consulting firm with Grant Easterbrook and Sisi Simeonova (both from the Class of 2011). I realized pretty quickly that I wanted to go to graduate school to develop some subject matter expertise. A year later, in 2013, I started my PhD in political science at UC Berkeley. I was there for seven years, focusing on international development, poverty, and India. After finishing my PhD, I did a postdoc at William & Mary, was a professor at Claremont Graduate University for three years, and I am now working at the World Bank. I focus on measuring and helping governments address problems of state capacity that arise when implementing policy. I’ve made a lot of moves since graduating, but all have been within the government and economics sphere

Why government and legal studies?

I came to º£½ÇÖ±²¥ wanting to major in physics and english. But I took an Introduction to Comparative Politics class with Laura Henry, and I was amazed at how much it opened up the world. I loved being able to read the newspaper and understand what was going on in current events.

Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?

My classes with Laura Henry, Jeff Selinger, and Ericka Albaugh were really engaging and changed how I think about the world. Ericka Albaugh’s class on state building, in particular, got me interested in development. Nicholas Toloudis, who was visiting during 2011–2012, was my advisor for my honors thesis, which was also formative for me. Jeff Selinger and I have stayed in touch since graduation, and he has been a wonderful mentor and friend.

What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates interested in your field?

If you’re interested in international development, try to gain experience living and working in another country. For me, I got this experience while doing field research for projects in graduate school. You can gain similar experience through internships or structured programs, but it can also come from simply taking a job abroad. Going through the motions of everyday life and interacting with people taught me the most about which problems to focus on, and it is also what made me truly care about what I do.

What have you bee up to since graduating from º£½ÇÖ±²¥?

Since graduating, I have worked as a research analyst at the Brookings Institution where I’m an associate editor of Lawfare, an online national security legal publication based out of Brookings. My job involves editing legal commentary and analysis articles written by law professors, current and former government officials, and other national security practitioners to publish on Lawfare. I also write articles, produce a narrative podcast series, and oversee and curate a library of primary source material related to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. After spending the past two years at Lawfare, I’ll soon be starting law school. 

Why Government and Legal Studies?

I entered º£½ÇÖ±²¥ interested in government, but after taking a great first-year seminar and other classes in the Government and Legal Studies department, and getting to know the faculty, I was certain that I wanted to major in Gov. I was drawn to studying Government and Legal Studies as a way to understand the world around me: everything from democracy to war, law to political behavior, as well as the institutions that shape them. The department at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ offers great breadth and depth in the field, which allowed me to take an array of classes while concentrating in American Politics. My classes were interesting and relevant, and the wonderful professors in the department pushed me to think and write in new ways. Through my coursework, and particularly in pursuing an honors project, I began to understand the power of law and public policy and how I could use them to create positive change. My Government and Legal studies classes at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ helped me build a vocabulary to talk about challenges we face and issues I care about, and they gave me a set of tools to address them.

What is your current job (position) and what do you do specifically?

I am a researcher (officially called urban researcher) at an organization called Urban Design and Development Center in Bangkok, Thailand. It is a small organization of about fifteen people that deals with urban development, urban planning, and urban governance, and aims to be an agent that connects the public, private, and civil sectors to promote an inclusive urban development.

The organization handles several projects, but I am on a team that is responsible for one that is pushing for the Open Data project, co-funded by the Rockefeller Foundation. So my day-to-day job is to research about how open data (the disclosure of information without any restriction) can help with urban issues in this digital age and the role of governance in urban development and its potential uneven vulnerabilities.

Aside from research, I also write articles to publicize about the project to the general public. It has really been quite interesting because not only do I get to learn things every day, I also get to interact with people of various expertise like urban architects, graphic designers, sociologists, etc.

What are your fond memories of the department, including courses or experiences?

There are really so many. One of my fondest memories is definitely the discussions in Professor Laura Henry's Social Movement and Political Change because I get to learn about what others have sacrificed in the past, and what has been happening through an academic lens. Each person had to write a semester-long paper, and to me what each peer chooses to do as their project is very fascinating as it definitely reflects their passion.

Another fond memory is my time in Professor Ericka Albaugh's Politics of Development class. Coming from Thailand, a third world country, the topic of development is very personal and I had all these aspirations and ideals about the topic before going into the class. I think it definitely gave me a realistic perspective on how the politics comes in to play. Of course it was hard to learn that even the best of good intentions can have unintended consequences, but I think it was a necessary awakening.

What advice would you have for current Gov majors in thinking about life after º£½ÇÖ±²¥?

Do not be afraid to explore different fields, both within the department and outside. Taking advantage of that liberal arts education has been the most rewarding decision I have ever made, and I appreciate it even more after º£½ÇÖ±²¥. My work involves researching and learning about different fields, and being able to incorporate them has been very valuable.

What have you been up to since graduating from º£½ÇÖ±²¥?

Right after º£½ÇÖ±²¥, I took a gap year to get my law school applications done.  I was namely preparing for the LSAT and then I interned for the Governor's office in Pennsylvania, where I'm from. Then, I went to Stanford Law School, and after that and quarantine, I worked at a law firm called Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw. Currently, I'm finishing up the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals with Judge Carolyn King, and then I'm going to be going to Washington, DC to work for Wilmer Hale.

Why government and legal studies?

I came to º£½ÇÖ±²¥ thinking that the law was what I wanted to do, and a lot of that came from my grandmother. She was based in Massachusetts and defended plaintifs who were exposed to asbestos on ships. She was one of the pioneers of  of figuring out the connection between asbestos and cancer and asbestosis. Hearing her stories and seeing how she used law to make a really helpful difference was always super inspiring to me, and so that was a big animating factor. I also appreciated that º£½ÇÖ±²¥'s department was one for government and legal studies—I think it was really great to be able to major in both and to really get insight into what law school would be like.

What is your current job and what do you do specifically?

I am an associate attorney at Mintz Levin, a large Boston-based law firm, the role offers me the opportunity to do some very interesting work alongside incredibly smart, talented, and wonderful people (including some great º£½ÇÖ±²¥ alumni). I am in the firms litigation section, where I work on a wide variety of matters involving public and private companies across a number of industries.

Another very special part of my job is the opportunity to help people through our robust pro bono practice. From the start of my time at the firm, I've been able to lend my voice and my skills to those who are unrepresented or underrepresented in our legal system and society.

I am a recent graduate of Boston College Law School, where I spent a fantastic three years. While at BC, I served as a teaching assistant in criminal law, a summer law clerk at a legal advocacy organization called Free Speech for People, a summer associate here at Mintz Levin, and a judicial intern for the Honorable Gregory C. Flynn in the Waltham District Court and District Court Appellate Division. I was also a member of BC's admissions committee and vice president of the BC Law Democrats.

What do you remember as fond memories of the Government Department, including courses or experiences?

I am of the strong belief that º£½ÇÖ±²¥’s government professors are some of the very best in the country. At º£½ÇÖ±²¥, I concentrated in American government, with an eye towards building a curriculum that would prepare me for law school. I took enough courses in the government department to have majored in it twice, simply because I truly enjoyed learning from the brilliant minds of º£½ÇÖ±²¥’s professors. In particular, I took every class that Professor Morgan and Professor Franz taught while I was there. Some of my favorites included Law and Society, Constitutional Law, Campaigns and Elections, and Money and Politics. I also enjoyed working closely with Prof. Franz on an independent study during my junior year, and with Prof. Morgan on my honors project during my senior year. In addition, I also learned a great deal from Professors Potholm, Springer, Martin, and Yarborough. Finally, arguably the best part of the government department is its gem, Lynne Atkinson, who is a great friend and pleasure to spend time around. I don’t know if I would have made it to graduation without her!

What advice would you have for current Gov majors in thinking about life after º£½ÇÖ±²¥?

My biggest piece of advice for current government majors (and all º£½ÇÖ±²¥ students for that matter) is to engage with, and lean on, º£½ÇÖ±²¥’s vast alumni network. The º£½ÇÖ±²¥ community is a special one, and you will undoubtedly find that º£½ÇÖ±²¥ alumni are very willing to help you with advice, internship/job opportunities, etc. º£½ÇÖ±²¥ alumni have played a huge role in my career growth; Joe Curtin ’84 and Emmett Lyne ’86 have both been instrumental mentors for me, and were a big part of my decision to move to (and stay in) Boston to practice law. In addition, develop good relationships with your º£½ÇÖ±²¥ professors and the Career Planning office.