What's it like to work in Washington, D.C.?

M.S. International Affairs
Ph.D. Public Policy

1. What's the best part about working in D.C.?

The best part of working in D.C. is to be part of the U.S. Government and, in my case, to work in a science and technology-driven agency like the Department of Energy. I also live in D.C., don't have a car, and enjoy walking around this beautiful city.

2. What's the most impactful part of your job?

The most impactful part of my job is contributing and participating in the decision-making process of critical issues for the American people. In my case, they relate to the U.S. international cooperation in energy.

3. Why are you passionate about it?

I am passionate about it because I was born in Brazil and lived in France before moving to the United States 25 years ago. My international background, combined with my multidisciplinary education, helps me appreciate the benefits of international cooperation as one important approach to help us address the complex challenges of our planet.

4. How did your IAC degree prepare you for where you are now?

My IAC degrees in international affairs and public policy helped me acquire the knowledge and analytical skills to understand and appreciate these complex problems and propose approaches for potential solutions. My years as a graduate assistant at the School of Public Policy under the leadership of Professor Susan Cozzens were critical for acquiring experience in conducting policy research in a group environment.

M.S. Energy and Environmental Policy

1. What's the best part about working in D.C.?

Working in D.C., I get to experience an awesome intersection of government, business, and science. It's a different atmosphere than any city I have worked in before, and I feel lucky to work with such a unique and talented group of peers.

2. What's the most impactful part of your job?

On any given day, I get to meet with policymakers and government representatives from across the U.S. and around the world. In my role, I get to hear about their visions and then work internally with Toyota to develop strategies and solutions that most benefit the global environment and our customers.

3. Why are you passionate about it?

I am most passionate about developing sustainable solutions that enhance both people's lives and the health of our planet. Developing the skills to work in this area was enriched by the research positions and courses I participated in at Ivan Allen College with brilliant professors such as Dr. Brown, Dr. Asensio, and Dr. Matisoff.

4. How did your IAC degree prepare you for where you are now?

While at Ivan Allen College, I was fortunate to learn from the wide-ranging perspectives of my amazing professors and fellow students. The experiences and knowledge I gained in this environment prepared me to work in a city and company that operates in spheres ranging from science and engineering to politics and economics.

B.S. International Affairs

1. What's the best part about working in D.C.?

No matter how long I have been in D.C., I am still awestruck by the nation's capital. It represents the democratic ideals upon which we were founded, and seeing the monuments on a daily basis is an important and rewarding reminder of why I decided to work in national security in the first place.

2. What's the most impactful part of your job?

On a daily basis, I have the benefit of interacting with civilian and military users of Govini's software and data, who are increasing the competitiveness of the United States in a fraught geopolitical international environment. Knowing that our technology increases America's edge in this sophisticated techno-military competition is incredibly meaningful to me.

3. Why are you passionate about it?

From the time I was just a freshman living in Brown residence hall, I knew I wanted to use my Georgia Tech education to find a career that would allow me to be a part of something bigger than myself. I believe passion is so important in living life with meaning. For me, much of that passion relates to U.S. national security and using American power to make the world a better and safer place for humanity and our planet.

4. How did your IAC degree prepare you for where you are now?

It is not an understatement to say that I would not be where I am today without my international affairs degree from Georgia Tech. As a student, my favorite subjects were calculus and French — a non-obvious pairing for any degree program! Except at Georgia Tech, where I could immerse myself in international affairs and foreign languages, all while studying technical subjects, including computer science, that ended up providing an enduring path for a future career in the intersection of defense and technology.

M.S. International Affairs

1. What's the best part about working in D.C.?

I think that the best part about working in D.C. is the proximity to so many practitioners and policymakers from all parts of the world — very akin to living at the United Nations. 

2. What's the most impactful part of your job?

I think that the most impactful part of working for a utility company is that the services we provide — the transmission and distribution of electricity and natural gas — represent the very backbone of the entire global economy. There aren't that many industries that can make that claim.

3. Why are you passionate about it?

At heart, I'm most passionate about improvement — improvement of how we interact with not only each other but also with the physical world around us more generally. And I think working in the utility industry (and the energy sector more generally) has been a fulfilling way to pursue that passion in a way in which all can benefit.

4. How did your IAC degree prepare you for where you are now?

More than anything, my degree from Ivan Allen College taught me how to think about problems more critically before rushing hastily into developing solutions. As I've grown in my career, this skill has proven to be invaluable.

M.S. International Affairs

1. What's the best part about working in D.C.?

D.C. has a particular draw as the place where all the elements of U.S. global power and influence are tangibly distilled in the buildings and institutions that blanket the city. I love that there are so many people in such a small place engaged in amazing and interesting work. Within a few blocks of my office are leading think tanks on security and development, major international organizations, dozens of federal agency headquarters, and the White House. You see the Capitol Building and Washington Monument while running errands, and my next-door neighbors include NASA engineers who manage space missions, senior Hill advisors, and civil society professionals combating environmental crimes around the world. At the same time, the city is protective of its identity and legacy residents, so it retains a feel of "D.C.-ness" among the constant influx of new people.

2. What's the most impactful part of your job?

Working for the State Department in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, I feel fortunate to have the mandate and the resources to substantively engage on functional topics at the forefront of U.S. national security and foreign policy priorities. I oversee three teams dedicated to countering transnational corruption, cybercrime, and money laundering. A central part of my job is providing the financial and organizational support of the U.S. government to push back on these things, and we're able to see concrete examples of our effectiveness. I am able to convene experts from U.S. agencies, academia, the private sector, civil society, and international organizations to take an entrepreneurial approach to complex, nuanced issues and work with these partners to prevent and combat these crimes. In addition to our programs, I was proud to be the U.S. government lead in co-hosting with Transparency International the 20th International Anti-Corruption Conference in Washington, D.C., in December 2022.

3. Why are you passionate about it?

I was drawn to this position because I see these issues as fundamental to the issue of fairness and opportunity — corruption saps resources from citizens, denying them services and opportunities to improve their lives; cybercrime targets the vulnerable through things like online scams, ransomware, human trafficking; and money laundering enables individual criminals and criminal organizations to profit from their crimes. Justice and ethics are issues that have always been extremely important to me; people's lives and opportunities shouldn't be dictated by the greed of others, and there should be protections against rapaciousness, particularly when targeting vulnerable communities. I recognize all countries, absolutely including the U.S., have their own legacies on these issues. However, I am proud of the Department's approach to engaging in these conversations with humility — recognizing our own shortcomings while working collaboratively to address these challenges.

4. How did your IAC degree prepare you for where you are now?

I followed a bit of an unconventional path to get where I am and didn't attend IAC for my graduate degree until I was 29. I had been out of the field for several years, so I was seeking to hone and develop new skills and bring my existing skills into sharper focus. My time there was indispensable as a launch point for a career field I had always focused on pursuing. IAC has the best of two worlds — there is a small college community where professors are approachable and available, and the class size facilitates substantive discussion and inquiry. At the same time, it is nested within a large renowned university with the resources and opportunities that affords. I spent many hours with Professors Woodall, Weber, and Stulberg, whose graciousness with often unannounced visits (apologies!) broadened my horizons and initiated lines of thought that I'm still following today. Through Tech's academic requirements, I was introduced to tools like ArcGIS, STATA, and SPSS, whose functions I would not have otherwise learned but which have enabled me to identify a host of opportunities and converse with a much broader spectrum of experts across disparate fields.

B.S. & M.S.
International Affairs

1. What's the best part about working in D.C.?

For context, I worked in D.C. for several years before moving to Richmond, Virginia, where I currently reside. With that said, my current role is based in D.C., and I come into the office several days every month. Without a doubt, the best thing about working in D.C. is the energy and purpose that everyone brings. It's easy to focus on the flashier jobs in D.C. and ignore the less flashy roles — the accountants, comptrollers, fundraisers, H.R. and operations professionals, and analysts that work in the background of every major institute and organization in the city. But the reality is that these roles are critical, and nothing gets done without them. Thankfully, everyone I've met in these types of roles brings a real passion for the work and an understanding of how they are helping move the needle toward a better society.

2. What's the most impactful part of your job?

I love that I get to change how we evaluate and pursue talent. The democracy field has struggled to retain talent in recent years, and one of the big reasons it has failed to replace the talent it has lost is that it's been looking in all the wrong places. By bringing a competency-based approach that centers equity and ensures that lived experience is valued alongside professional experience, I am helping the democracy field tap new sources of talent that will inevitably enrich and strengthen the field in the long run.

3. Why are you passionate about it?

When I was trying to break into the D.C. non-profit world, I found that many workplaces tended to hire people based on the connections they had rather than the competencies they brought to the work. It made for an incredibly challenging environment, and since then, I have been motivated to create pathways for talented individuals from all walks of life to have a voice at the table and make a real impact. Equality of opportunity is not something that comes about naturally. It needs strong-willed individuals working towards it, and I'm excited every day to be one of those individuals.

4. How did your IAC degree prepare you for where you are now?

The big thing that an IAC degree brings is a focus on professionally transferable skills. In addition to the content knowledge around democracy and human rights that I acquired as an IAC student, I also developed real skills that can be applied to a professional environment — the ability to apply a systems lens to a work environment and develop new processes that contribute to a team's efficiency is something that is unique to an IAC degree and which I actually don't feel I see enough of as a recruiter in the non-profit space. Time and time again, I have seen candidates who bring incredible academic credentials but display little-to-no ability to contribute to a professional team; Georgia Tech and Ivan Allen College regularly produce alumni who vault over that pitfall as candidates.

B.S. History, Technology, and Society

1. What's the best part about working in D.C.?

The best part about working in D.C. is being able to live in D.C.! I am lucky to have met some really cool people who are up to exploring the museums, volunteering, or doing other "cup-filling" activities. One of my favorite parts about working and living here is the yoga community I volunteer at. There is always something to do, learn about, or see! Generally speaking, I think this area is really mentally enriching and has a lot of opportunities to grow personally and professionally.

2. What's the most impactful part of your job?

I am a transportation planner at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, which houses the Transportation Planning Board (TPB). TPB is the metropolitan planning organization for the Washington metro region, and my specific role focuses on public participation. I get to work with the communities across the Washington region to ensure their voice is heard in the long-range planning process (our next plan is a vision for 2050!). I think this role is impactful because you have the opportunity to break down barriers to participation and educate people about transportation planning processes.

3. Why are you passionate about it?

I'm passionate about my work because transportation impacts virtually everything in our lives. It's important to me to empower people to know about the planning process and where they can use their voices to advocate for themselves and their community. Transportation projects take time! I recently read an article that Millennials and Gen Z drive much less than older generations — so it's important that we act now for the future that we want in 10 or 20 years. It matters for being able to age in place, to ensure that infrastructure becomes more accessible, and that people have reliable access to affordable housing, jobs, healthcare, or the things that they want to do.

4. How did your IAC degree prepare you for where you are now?

I studied history, technology, and society when I was an undergraduate. My IAC experience prepared me for my career by challenging me to turn technical information into something understandable and even actionable. As a planner, I believe it's important to understand the context in which planning decisions exist. To plan for the future, you need to understand past decisions or planning processes and how they may have harmed communities or how they did not meet our needs. We need to learn from the past to make better decisions for the future. So in transportation planning, it's important to couple qualitative and quantitative information to make a decision. IAC, I think, prepared me to use both types of research for better decision-making.

B.S. International Affairs

1. What's the best part about working in D.C.?

I love D.C. It's walkable, has an emerging food scene, and has a fantastic job market. Being an INTA major and now in the international development sector, the opportunities are endless. So many NGOs have offices or are based here, making it easy to settle down and become a member of the community while advancing your career through roles with varying organizations. It's a city where you can find a job that is perfectly tailored to your professional goals and needs.

2. What's the most impactful part of your job?

The most important part of my job is the people. I love that my work is (hopefully) having a positive impact on society.

3. Why are you passionate about it?

Working in international development has been life-changing. I was skeptical of the development sector and its effectiveness before graduating from Georgia Tech, but I ended up working on emergency food aid program management for USAID and realized the importance of humanitarian work. As a result, I've made it my career. I now work as the Director of Budget and Planning at Save the Children and find that budget management can really impact a project's performance in the field.

4. How did your IAC degree prepare you for where you are now?

My IAC degree specifically instilled perseverance in me. I had many ups and downs in College, and when I was in a slump, I learned how to get back on my feet and move forward with life. Maybe I didn't execute the assignment perfectly, but I was able to get through it. Learning to push through failing moments from time to time has given me me a great deal of resilience, for which I am grateful.

Ph.D. Public Policy

1. What's the best part about working in D.C.?

In D.C., we are part of many policy circles, specifically technology policy. This includes civil society, academics, industry, and, of course, government. It's a great space to be in and to be able to learn and understand the priorities of different groups when it comes to tech policy issues like privacy, content moderation, surveillance, etc. D.C. is also an international city which means there are many think tanks and policy organizations that work globally. And so, there are many opportunities to learn and share relevant research both specific to the U.S. and elsewhere.

2. What's the most impactful part of your job?

For me, that's having our research inform important policy debates and decisions. For example, our research was cited in an amicus brief presented at a recent U.S. Supreme Court hearing about intermediary liability on the internet. The decisions by the court in that case could have important ramifications for how the internet works. Our research has also been referenced and used by policymakers in Congress and the White House administration and cited in the academic literature. It's great to be part of a research team building evidence to inform important tech policy decisions.

3. Why are you passionate about it?

Aiming to design and implement research that can address important evidence gaps in tech policy debates and, at the same time, also be novel in terms of academic research is such a great and important challenge to address. To do that, we have to engage both policymaking and academic communities. It's great to be at the intersection of both those spaces and to be able to figure out what research is really the most useful for multiple audiences.

4. How did your IAC degree prepare you for where you are now?

My time at the IAC and Georgia Tech, in general, was great. More specifically, I completed my degree at the School of Public Policy, where I did several courses that helped build my career. These helped me learn about research agendas, methods, and what is policy-relevant research. More important were my fellow students and several professors. I am still in touch with a few and, in fact, continue to work with some of those folks that I first met at Georgia Tech. Those connections have helped me throughout my career in terms of continuing to learn after completing my degree, building my confidence, and continuing to see the value of critical research that can inform policy.