Candidate to represent The Fletcher School on the Alumni Council.
STATEMENT: Thank you for honour of nomination to the Tufts Alumni Council—and what a time to be nominated!
I stand for the Alumni Council because I want to make the relationship between Tufts and its alumni community even stronger in this era of challenge and opportunity.
About me: I was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada and reside with my family in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In addition to having lived on two coasts of this amazing continent, I’ve travelled the world extensively—over 150 trips abroad. These days, I’m focussed on helping my family and friends through the hardship of COVID-19, to derive meaning from this awful experience, and to remain hopeful that we will emerge better than we were before the pandemic hit us.
My time at Tufts was short; I spent only two years at the Fletcher School (2010-2012). But it was transformational experience, one that enabled me to see in Technicolor how the world connects across nations and sectors, from global to local, and the percussive effects across the board when things go well—and when they don’t. I learned how to read a treaty, use digital technology to support a disaster response (Japan earthquake 2011), and research complex issues—often with long roots into history. In short, Fletcher helped me to grow intellectually and make better sense of this complex world that we must navigate together.
Working in international affairs, I use my Tufts education every day—especially the commitment to excellence in thinking through complex problems and making sense of them. I understand how important it is to be connected to broader communities, to engage with others—especially those with whom you disagree—and to maintain a broad perspective while avoiding a preclusive view of the future. These are important traits to have on the Alumni Council over the next five years.
Here’s why: It is no secret that the landscape of education is undergoing a profound transformation. Tufts is not immune to this phenomenon. New schools, increasing quality of education globally, the rise of YouTube as an educator, and the rapid ascendance of Zoom-as-classroom place unprecedented demands on all universities like never before. The cost of education is astronomical in America, with diminishing payoff in some industries. Alumni need to have their voices heard as Tufts navigates these headwinds.
Global perspective, long a competitive advantage for Tufts, is now a core feature of almost every serious academic curriculum. This affects Fletcher School’s value proposition especially hard. We must challenge our deepest held assumptions about what it means to be a globally minded university in a connected and interdependent world, reassess our options, and adapt accordingly. Alumni can and should play a more vocal and constructive role in Tufts’ evolution.
Here are my priorities: I will push for increasing and enhancing connections to fellow Jumbos who are doing great things throughout the world and across almost every facet of society. In particular, I am keen to see greater alignment between Tufts and the Fletcher School alumni communities though better use of online platforms, virtual communities, and targeted events.
It is my vision for the Alumni Council to be a catalyst for more substantive and meaningful connections with alumni from across Tufts, and to promote a more relevant career services and communities for alumni. Most of all, I stand for election to the Alumni Council because the relationship between Tufts and its profoundly accomplished alumni family can and should be ever-stronger and life-long. The school and community deserve no less; I seek the opportunity to make it so. Thank you!
EDUCATION:
- NATO Executive Development Program, 2018
- Harvard Business School: Program for Leadership Development, 2017
- Fletcher School: Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy, 2012
- University of British Columbia: Bachelor of Arts, 2002
CURRENT OCCUPATION:
- Staff Officer, Operations Research at NATO
PREVIOUS OCCUPATIONS:
- Royal Canadian Navy
- Office of the Premier of British Columbia
TUFTS-AFFILIATED ACTIVITIES:
- Fletcher Class Fund Agent, 2012-2021
- 5th Reunion Committee Member, 2016-2017
OTHER PROFESSIONAL / VOLUNTEER AFFILIATIONS AND ACTIVITIES:
- Honorary Fellow, Policy Insights Forum (Canada), 2020—Present
- Vice President, Global Connections at Harvard Business School Club of Chicago, 2020—Present
