My path to public service, specifically emergency management, was not a traditional one. Growing up in Houston, Texas, I experienced my share of natural disasters and know first-hand how devastating and disorienting they can be. My first memory of exercising my word processing skills was to compile a list of damages for our insurance claim after Tropical Storm Allison flooded my childhood home. Vehicles were totaled, the home was gutted (and so began my obsession with DIY) — but most importantly, a seed was planted.

Later that same year, I was in my first period physics class when we learned of 9/11. While there was an overwhelming sense of panic among students and staff, I recall rationalizing not being able to leave school early because my mom worked at the post office and my dad worked at the airport. That was my introduction to homeland security.

In college, I pursued a major in Communication and a minor in business, with the intention of going into television broadcasting. I wanted to tell stories that mattered. Like many students, I needed a job to help support my college experience and one Craigslist ad later, I found myself working as a help desk technician for a company that supported Department of Homeland Security (DHS) systems and tools.

While in that role, Hurricane Rita forced my family to shelter in place or evacuate Houston for their safety. Highways were reversed, fuel shortage was a reality, and my purpose became more clear. The rest, as they say, is history. My part-time college gig turned into my gateway to Washington, DC, where I gained experience as a contractor at DHS before working for DC Homeland Security & Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA).

One of the best parts of my DC experience was witnessing how funding and policy have the potential to change lives, for better or worse. It has always been my mission to make the worst day of someone’s life a little easier; as my career progressed, this became a primary focus. How could I better support my organization and the people in it, to ensure we could show up as our best when people needed us most?

I have led during dozens of consequential emergencies and National Special Security Events (NSSE’s) throughout my career; each experience highlighted the opportunity to do more, be better. Emergency Managers are arguably the best project managers and party planners in the business — we have to balance the unique needs of stakeholders of all levels and interests to ensure we prepare adequately, respond effectively, recover equitably and intentionally, and remain ready to do so over and over again.

Restoring government services and earning public trust is no small feat; the experiences and insight throughout my career allow me to help organizations navigate change and uncertainty, with people at the center.