What was your most memorable class at Rye Country Day?

I don’t really have a specific class that sticks out in my mind, more than 15 years later, but the skills I learned in various classes really have served me well in my post-RCDS life. 

I would say the first skill is writing—no matter what profession you go into, writing will be a part of it. Being able to communicate on paper or in email clearly, effectively, and concisely is so important, no matter your field or audience. Whether you’re drafting a legal brief or an advertising campaign for a potential client, if you can’t express yourself plainly and before you lose their attention, you’ve failed. 

The second one is a twofer: time management and prioritization. After getting home from practice at 5:30 or 6 after school, with what seemed like an endless night of homework and studying ahead of me, I really had to learn how to manage my time effectively and make decisions about what had to get done that night, what could wait for study hall the next day, what could be done the next night, or what could be saved for the weekend. Organization plays into these two skills as well. When I receive ‘taskers’ or assignments from 10 different ‘bosses’ or people I support with my legal advice, I obviously can’t answer all at once. I also don’t know all of the answers off the top of my head (some require additional research). Being able to organize my assignments, prioritize that list, and manage my time effectively so I’m not at work until 10 p.m. every night is definitely a skill I’m still perfecting, but it is one that the copious amounts of homework at RCDS really helped prepare me for. My 17-year-old self would not like to hear that though …

Do you have a favorite memory of your time at the School?

My favorite memories at RCDS involve sports. I was a member of the Varsity Soccer team and a co-captain of the Varsity Basketball team. We won the soccer FAA championship when I was there, and that was a great feeling. The foundation that varsity sports gave me when it comes to teambuilding, leadership, work ethic, and combining diverse talents and personalities to work towards a common goal have really served me well in my post-RCDS education and career.

How did your time at RCDS shape your college experience and your career? 

Honestly, after RCDS, the coursework in college was not that difficult or overwhelming. RCDS taught me impressive writing and studying skills, which served me well through college and law school. It also taught me the importance of giving back to the community in some way—I specifically chose to give back to my country, but you don’t have to swear an oath to support and defend the constitution to make a difference in your own community, if that’s where you decide to give of your talents. Not for Self, but for Service is a great motto for RCDS to have because we are privileged to have attended such an institution, and using the gift of exceptional, private education to better the world around us is so important.  My college likewise had a particular emphasis on using your knowledge and skills to better the world around you—figuring out your passion and talents, and then figuring out how to apply those to better your community. That focus definitely stuck with me as I explored various opportunities and ultimately found what I was supposed to be doing with my life.

Who or what influenced your decision to serve in the United States Air Force?

We were on our RCDS junior year class trip to Washington, DC on September 9 through 11 of 2001. We had to fight the good fight with the administration to earn that trip back—the previous class was not permitted to go. We were successful, and we packed onto a couple of busses for the drive down. We were just starting our final morning in DC with some sightseeing at various monuments at around 8:30 a.m. on the morning of September 11, 2001. We dropped off our bags in our teacher’s/chaperone’s hotel room just as the first plane hit the World Trade Center. We turned off the TV before the second plane hit, so we did not learn about it until later. As my group made our way to the Washington Monument, I saw a low flying plane disappear behind some buildings, and then a massive fireball and smoke in the not-so-distant distance. Everything kind of stopped in that moment. No one knew what was going on. There were fully kitted-up men in black SUVs speeding down the street, snipers on rooftops, and a general feeling of confusion and dread.

I’d always had an interest in government service, but this really impacted me more than anything else. Military service is not a common career choice for RCDS graduates, so it was not something I had ever honestly contemplated or had the opportunity to learn about. I moved on to college and studied marketing and communication, and then worked in a law firm for a year before starting law school. It was in law school that my career counselor really had me look further into joining the military. I interned with a district attorney’s office, and that’s how I thought I would make my difference—getting criminals off of the street.  But my career counselor told me to dream bigger. The fact that there was a state hiring freeze and incoming classes of new assistant district attorneys were much much smaller than they had been in the past also influenced that advice. I graduated in a terrible legal economy, but after attending some informational sessions about the Judge Advocate General’s Corps of the various military branches, I knew this is what I wanted to do. I was accepted in 2012, went through medical and administrative clearances, and commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps.  

What advice do you have for seniors as they begin their final year at RCDS?

I was a very stressed out student by the time senior year rolled around. All the APs, SATs, and exams were a lot. I want everyone to understand that it matters much more what you do with your time in college, and what you do with your degree afterwards, than what it says on the piece of paper. There are so many ways to find personal and professional fulfillment. There is not just one path. Balance was hard to find at RCDS—after all, it’s a college preparatory school. The focus is on getting us into college and ensuring we are successful there. I can tell you right now, you will be. You will be more than successful there even if you left for college right now.  

Do something you love doing in your downtime, rather than doing the thing that you think you are supposed to do to maintain a certain path. If you love art, volunteer to teach at a local arts center for kids. If you love animals, volunteer at the nature center or local animal shelter. Find something that makes you excited, and pursue it in a way that helps not only yourself, but others.  It doesn’t have to change the entire world or ensure you get that 1600 on the SATs (I’m showing my age, I don’t even know how the SATs are scored anymore). It just has to make you happy and enrich your life. You’ve done just about all you can by this point to ensure that you have a successful post-RCDS life. Do something you enjoy instead of something you feel forced to do.

Also, keep an open mind when thinking about your future. You may believe you’re destined to be a doctor in a busy hospital, like your mother, or an investment banker, like your father. If you had told me at age 17 starting senior year at RCDS that I would spend 2015-2016 in South Korea serving my country as the Chief of International Law at Osan Air Base in the 51st Fighter Wing, deterring North Korean aggression, I would have called you crazy—and I would not have even known what that really meant. Don’t feel you need to have it all figured out already, and don’t let what you think you should be doing get in the way of what you could be doing. The Air Force could always use a few good doctors, as well as finance, contracting, and acquisition folks. Look into how your talents can better your community, or even your country.