After completing my studies in the MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy program, I completed a Master of Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government followed by a Juris Doctor at Harvard Law School. During that period of time, I was a Councilmember on the Global Council for the Sustainable Development Goals. Afterwards, I started as an attorney at Perkins Coie, a leading international law firm, where I practice international sanctions law, international trade law, and complex litigation. Today, I represent the American Bar Association at the United Nations, and am also a lecturer and doctoral candidate committee member at the University of Washington School of Law, where I lecture on international law and development. 

As an international lawyer, my daily law practice is ever changing. Particularly in the international sanctions space, where policy is ever-changing, my practice revolves around monitoring and responding to changes in geopolitics and international affairs. I work with companies, banks, individuals, and non-profits to navigate and address international sanctions risks and questions, and that means I must be abreast of global affairs every day. Having the background and training in the MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy program arms me with the methods and policy tools that I need to succeed, especially when it comes to working hand-in-hand with the US government and other governments to sharpen international sanctions laws and regulations. My international trade practice focuses on export controls and the interplay between those controls and sanctions law. As with sanctions law, international trade law is constantly changing and susceptible to geopolitical shifts. My focus is particularly on China, and how changing US-China relations affect my clients, whom I regularly counsel on navigating trade and sanctions regimes. For me, every day on the job is different, but no day is boring. The training and studies at ODID permeates every corner of my day-to-day, and helps me to become a better counsellor and practitioner in the international space. 

I was a diplomat at the United Nations prior to my studies at ODID. For me, the MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy was the best fit program for my interests and needs. Specifically, I was hoping to bolster my analytical skillset with methods and other tools that I could directly translate into practicing in the international space, whatever role I would find myself in. 

My education at Oxford helps me every day in my law practice. As an international lawyer who must follow and keep abreast of international developments, having the skillset to know how to navigate and understand global affairs has been a great boon. This is particularly true when I need to counsel clients about anticipated future directions and greater trends, where my studies at Oxford that taught me methods and policy analysis has played a critical role in allowing me to give accurate advice and guidance. 

I particularly valued the diversity of the student body at ODID. My classmates in the MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy program came from across the world and from all walks of life. That diversity of backgrounds and opinions allowed me to learn just as much from my peers and their experiences as from the wonderful instructors and professors at ODID.

I was also involved in the Oxford Blues Table Tennis Team, the Rothermere American Institute, the Rhodes Artificial Intelligence Clinic, and the Rhodes China Forum.

The number one advice I would give to current students is to continue pushing your boundaries. I went into Oxford thinking that I would focus my studies on China and diplomacy, but found that exploring other areas at ODID really helped me broaden my skillset, which I use every day, even today.