Q: How long have you worked at Rice?
A: Since Dec. 1, so only about two months.
Q: What is your favorite part about working for the university?
A: Everyone here is incredibly friendly and welcoming.
Q: What do you want people to know about living in Houston?
A: Houston is awesome. I’ve lived here almost seven years. Everyone knows it is hot, but what they might not think about is the humidity. The humidity is what will get you. Also, pay attention to flood zones if you’re thinking about buying a house.
Q: What do you do in your downtime?
A: I like to relax by tending to my extensive collection of houseplants; I probably have more than 100 total. I also have a goth garden in my front yard that I spend a lot of time with, and all the leaves and flowers are purple or black. Gardening is excellent for mindfulness and brings me a lot of peace amid all the chaos.
Q: What’s the most exciting time of year for you as it relates to Rice?
A: I’ve only been here for a month and a half, but I definitely enjoyed winter break!
Q: What’s the one thing that makes Rice special to you?
A: There are a lot of things, but I absolutely love the campus. Being from the Atlanta area, Houston’s lack of extensive tree cover has always been hard for me, especially during the summertime when it feels like you’re walking on the surface of the sun. The fact that Rice has so many beautiful, old trees reminds me of home and makes me incredibly happy.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: I appreciate the ability to collaborate and connect with so many different people across the university.
Q: What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?
A: I love reading and have been devouring books my entire life. I also really enjoy doing LEGO (the more complicated and intricate, the better), spending time in my yard, drinking coffee and spending time with my family.
Q: What advice would you give to new employees?
A: To not be shy and to make an effort to connect with as many people on campus as you can. The sense of community is part of what makes working here so great.
Q: Would you share a bit about your background and career journey?
A: I’m originally from the metro Atlanta area and earned my undergraduate degree at Georgia Tech with a major in international affairs and modern language (Spanish) and a minor in Russian studies. I studied abroad in Moscow.
I performed a couple of internships during my undergrad, including as a translator for Spanish-speaking survivors of domestic violence to help them apply for visas. After graduation, I decided to earn an Erasmus Mundus dual master’s degree program. I spent a year at the University of Glasgow in Scotland (major: Russian, Central and East European studies) and a year at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland (major: European studies), with a summer internship at the UNESCO Institute for IT in Education in Moscow in between.
After grad school, I wasn’t quite ready to come back to the United States, so I worked in a traineeship at the European Parliament in Brussels. When that ended, I got a job here in Houston with AIG Travel’s security team as an intelligence analyst for sub-Saharan Africa. I subsequently moved to being an intelligence editor and then the senior intelligence adviser. After seven years at AIG, I decided it was time for a change, and now I’m here at Rice.
Q: What’s your favorite lunch spot or snack?
A: I love anything involving chocolate or peanut butter. I also drink copious amounts of coffee — not even for caffeine but because I find it comforting.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
A: To relax and trust that everything will work out the way it should. Worrying about things outside your control does not do anyone any good, and it is not worth your mental and emotional energy.
Q: How would you describe your experience as a Rice employee?
A: It’s been wonderful. I am so impressed by how welcoming and open everyone here is; I haven’t met one single person who is not friendly. I was a bit nervous to start a new job, but the transition has been exceptionally smooth, and I’m so happy with my decision to come work at Rice.