When we were kids, the question felt simple. What do you want to be when you grow up? For me, the answer was easy. I wanted to be a commercial airline pilot. I loved planes. I could identify aircraft types just by looking at them, and I still can. Eventually I learned that a fear of heights and a cockpit don’t pair well, and like many people, my childhood dream shifted as I grew. As we move through life, our paths evolve. We discover new interests, develop new strengths, and sometimes find ourselves thriving in roles we never imagined. In other cases, the skills we’ve built over time point us toward a future that feels like a natural next step.

Over the last decade, my career has shaped that clarity. I spent over 10 years at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, first as a Project Coordinator, then as a Project Manager, and most recently as Director of Business & Administration. I managed operations for a department overseeing a multi-million-dollar project portfolio, led strategic planning for my department, strengthened cross-functional coordination, and built systems that helped teams move work forward with consistency and alignment. I became the person others relied on when something needed structure, clarity, or momentum.

Those experiences mirror the core of what a Chief of Staff (COS) does:

• Bringing order to complexity

• Aligning priorities across teams

• Supporting leaders with insights, planning, and execution

• Driving operating cadence and organizational rhythm

• Ensuring decisions are informed, timely, and connected to strategy

My background in project management, business operations, stakeholder engagement, and organizational planning has prepared me for that kind of role. Even professional assessments have pointed me toward Chief of Staff, highlighting strengths in strategy, execution, communication, and partnership.

I recently explained to my father that Chief of Staff isn’t just a political role. Many organizations rely on a COS to connect dots, streamline operations, and help leaders focus on what matters most. And that’s where I know I add value: clarity in chaos, operational discipline, relationship-driven leadership, and a deep commitment to mission-centered work.

As I continue shaping the next chapter of my career, I’m intentionally pursuing roles that build toward the Chief of Staff function, positions rooted in strategic operations, organizational effectiveness, executive partnership, and cross‑functional leadership. The work I’ve done has shown me where I add the most value and where my strengths naturally align. This next phase is about refining those strengths, expanding my impact, and preparing for a role where strategy, operations, and partnership come together in meaningful ways.