“After six years in the US Marine Corps, I lived in the Mideast and Southeast Asia, working on humanitarian aid and post-conflict reconstruction operations. My plan with graduate school was to build on these experiences and increase my exposure to international security and development. I sought a program that could help meld my past professional activities and new interests into a coherent career strategy. The Patterson School was the perfect match. While at Patterson, I also interned with Sandia National Laboratories in Amman, Jordan and spent a semester in Russia doing language study. 

My first stop after graduation was the civilian side of the Pentagon where I spent a year facilitating military-to-military partnerships between the US and countries of the former Soviet Union.  I was then hired by retired USAF General Charles Boyd (President & CEO of Business Executives for National Security) to run the company’s international outreach and project development efforts. This put me on the road with some of America’s most senior military and business leaders.  We traveled throughout Eastern Europe, the Mideast, South Asia, Central Asia, and the Horn of Africa searching for ways private sector leadership could contribute to solving national security challenges.

One of the leaders I met at BENS was Maurice “Hank” Greenberg, former head of AIG, Honorary Vice Chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations, and the current President of CV Starr (an international investment and insurance company with offices throughout the United States, Europe, and China). I had worked with Mr. Greenberg on several occasions, including trips to Iraq and Afghanistan – that one including CJCS Admiral Mike Mullen – and to North Korea. I must have made a good impression. Mr. Greenberg hired me, sent me to Manhattan for management training, and based me in Sao Paolo to act as C.V. Starr's Country Manager for Brazil. Now, my office is on Park Avenue in New York City working as the Starr Companies director for political risk, kidnap, ransom and extortion.

When I first started at the Patterson School, I never thought I would find my niche in international business.  This unique program prepared me for the myriad opportunities that exist in both “Diplomacy and International Commerce” with training that has helped me spot opportunities and take advantage of them when presented. I feel the sky continues to be the limit.  My experiences and my degree from the Patterson School have played a large role in my success and this enduring level of confidence.”