I grew up in a military family, where one of my unofficial duties was to represent the best of the United States to our host nations. I spent my childhood watching people: how they showed up in community, how they responded to conflict, and how they cared for one another across borders, beliefs, backgrounds, and experiences. Those early years taught me how to behave, not react; how to listen before I spoke; and how to recognize that individual choices either strengthen or fracture the fabric of community. I learned that you do not stand apart from the places you serve, you are accountable to them.

A defining turning point in my career came during a project that helped bring the first free, democratic election to a developing nation. The project was a success, and we got to watch as people received their first identity cards, which granted them the privilege to vote for the first time in their lives. This was a pivotal moment, one that was met with silence within our organization, where we moved on to the next project, the next revenue target.