I am a Political Science major with a Mathematics minor from Portland, OR. I attended an international magnet school, which instilled in me a drive to pursue disciplines where I was consistently challenged and pushed to grow.

I grew up in a family of techies. My father worked in IT and software supply chain for a major sports apparel company, and my mother spent years in the financial sector before transitioning to logistics at a MAANG corporation. Watching them, I came to appreciate how technical fluency and analytical rigor make for exceptional lawyers, drawing me toward a career in law.

I absolutely adore Howard. I’ve had the privilege of serving in student government; first as a College Representative during my freshman year, then as Recording Secretary of the Student Senate as a sophomore. I also write for the Opinions section of The Hilltop. Beyond campus, I completed an internship in the United States Senate and will be embarking on my next opportunity this summer.

My goal is to spend a few years building experience in the financial sector before attending law school and becoming a corporate law associate. Above all, I am working toward a future I can be proud of, for myself and for my family.

What I Wish You Knew

I wish I had understood how clerkships and internships worked before arriving at college. That said, I don’t think I would change much about my path. I’m a naturally precocious person, so seeking out information through networking and independent research has always come naturally to me. In that sense, I think NExT came into my life at exactly the right moment. The professionals who can speak meaningfully to my specific goals aren’t always easy to reach, which is precisely why this experience has been so invaluable.

Why NExT Matters to Me Now

I hope to gain meaningful exposure to the legal field through networking with accomplished professionals and attending events that offer real, actionable insight. Programs like NExT are especially vital for students like me: aspiring first-generation lawyers who are driven to succeed but benefit enormously from the guidance of industry leaders who have walked this path before.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

My Journey to Law

My path to law began during my time as an undergraduate at the University of Virginia, where I worked with the Virginia Black Leadership Organizing Collaborative (VA-BLOC). Through that experience, I became involved in civic engagement efforts advocating for Medicaid expansion across Virginia. My role included researching policy and helping educate community members about how the proposal could impact healthcare access in their communities.

That work brought me frequently to the Virginia State Capitol, where I witnessed the legislative process firsthand. Advocates, community members, and policymakers gathered to debate the future of healthcare access in the state. Many individuals shared deeply personal stories about their experiences navigating the healthcare system, describing the difficulty of affording routine checkups or accessing care for themselves and their families. Listening to these stories made clear how closely law, policy, and lived experience are connected.

Through this work, I saw how advocacy operates on multiple levels—from policy research to community organizing to legislative engagement. It also showed me how legal frameworks shape access to essential resources in ways that affect people’s everyday lives.

After graduating, I continued exploring these intersections through my work in regulatory compliance and financial crime investigations at Goldman Sachs. In that role, I saw another side of how legal and regulatory structures operate, guiding institutions and influencing global systems. Together, these experiences strengthened my interest in pursuing law school and ultimately building a career that uses legal and regulatory tools to address inequities and strengthen the systems that shape public life.

What I Wish I Knew Before Law School

One of the most surprising aspects of law school was how early students are expected to begin defining their professional paths. Very quickly, conversations begin to focus on choosing between litigation, regulatory practice, or transactional work. Yet at that stage, many students are still learning what those roles truly look like in practice.

The legal profession offers an incredible range of possibilities, but understanding the differences between those paths often requires guidance from those who have already navigated them. Looking back, earlier access to conversations with attorneys across sectors would have helped me better understand how careers evolve and how different areas of practice connect to the issues that originally inspired me to pursue law.

Mentorship and cross-generational dialogue can play an important role in that process. Hearing how others have navigated similar decisions—what influenced their choices, how their careers unfolded, and what lessons they learned along the way—can provide valuable perspective for students still exploring their place within the profession.

Why NExT Is Important at This Stage

At this stage in my journey, I am looking for opportunities to deepen my understanding of the legal profession while learning from individuals who have built careers across different sectors. As a law student interested in work at the intersection of policy, regulation, and public impact, I am eager to gain exposure to the many ways attorneys influence institutions, industries, and communities.

Organizations like NExT are especially meaningful because they create spaces where mentorship, access, and community come together. Connecting with professionals who are willing to share their experiences helps demystify the profession and provides emerging leaders with the guidance needed to navigate complex career decisions.

Equally important is the opportunity to build relationships across generations. A community that values mentorship and collaboration strengthens the entire pipeline, allowing those who are learning today to become the mentors and leaders of tomorrow.

Being part of NExT offers the opportunity not only to grow personally and professionally, but also to contribute to a broader network committed to supporting the next generation of legal and technology leaders.

What drew me to NExT is its commitment to expanding diversity, access, and opportunity within tech law. There are more ways than ever to build a career in this space, but those possibilities aren’t always easy to see or navigate alone. By connecting professionals invested in lifting each other and advancing the field as a whole, NExT is bringing those opportunities into view and creating pathways. That mission speaks to my own professional journey and makes joining this community feel like a full-circle moment.

My Professional Journey

I graduated from law school in 2009 and, like many of my peers, I was swept up in the momentum of on-campus recruiting. Big Law was the goal. It was what everyone was talking about and felt like the clearest measure of success.

I began my career as a litigation and bankruptcy associate at an Am Law firm. It was an exceptional training ground, and I worked with talented colleagues who modeled excellence and professionalism. But a few years in, I realized something uncomfortable: I had chosen a path without ever asking why. I hadn’t reflected on what kind of lawyer – or professional – I wanted to become. I had pursued opportunity, but not necessarily alignment.

That realization led to my first real pivot. I left practice and joined the Office of Career Planning at New York Law School. What looked like an abrupt shift was actually the beginning of intentionality. I wanted to help current students engage in the reflection and exploration I hadn’t done. To ask better questions. To understand that a law degree is not a single lane, but a toolkit. During my years in career counseling, I had the privilege of helping students take ownership of their professional development and define success on their own terms.

Eventually, though, I missed the substance of legal work – particularly research. (I’ve always been a research nerd.) That pull led me to LexisNexis, where I spent more than a decade teaching research fundamentals to students and junior attorneys and guiding institutions as they integrated new tools into their practice. Over time, that exposure to evolving platforms and workflows sparked a deeper interest in legal technology and the ways innovation was reshaping the profession.

As I followed those shifts more closely, I became increasingly drawn to eDiscovery. As technology has accelerated, so has the volume and complexity of discoverable data. Courts are grappling with novel questions. Organizations are struggling to keep pace. I became fascinated by how technology was transforming the mechanics of review. And with that, earlier this year, I made another pivot and joined Legalpeople as Director of Client Solutions.

Today, I work in Managed Document Review, helping firms and corporate legal departments staff and execute complex review projects with experienced, carefully vetted legal talent. It’s my first true business development role – building a book from the ground up. It’s exciting and, to be honest, nerve-wracking. But it also feels like a culmination of everything that came before: Big Law training, counseling, tech expertise, and a deep respect for the people behind the work.

My long-term aspiration is to stay at the intersection of law, technology, and people in a way that widens access and creates real opportunity. I want the path into legal tech to feel clearer and more attainable for those coming behind me. That’s why NExT is such a strong fit – it’s built on that very mission: expanding visibility, access, and support so the next generation can navigate this space with confidence and connection.

What I Wish I Knew

Looking back, what do I wish I had known earlier?

First, that success in this profession doesn’t follow a single blueprint. The prestige-driven narrative in law school can narrow your field of vision. Exploration isn’t a sign of weakness or waffling – its evidence of growth and ownership.

Second, I didn’t fully appreciate how transferable our skills are. Analytical thinking, writing, client management, adaptability – these travel well. Understanding that sooner would have made each pivot feel less like a risk and more like an evolution.

Third, I underestimated the importance of mentorship beyond traditional pathways. Most of my early mentors followed conventional routes. Exposure to leaders in alternative and innovative roles would have broadened my thinking much earlier.

Why NExT Matters Now

For me, NExT represents both community and responsibility.

Community, because I’m surrounded by accomplished professionals shaping the legal tech ecosystem. As someone still relatively new to eDiscovery and business development, being part of a network that shares knowledge generously is invaluable. It’s reassuring to know I’m not navigating this evolution alone.

Responsibility, because I remember what it felt like to stand at the starting line without a clear map. Through the NExT Ambassador Program, we’re building pipelines – connecting students and early-career professionals with mentors who provide transparency, guidance, and access. That work resonates deeply with my background in career counseling and allows me to continue helping others see possibilities they may not yet see for themselves.

I see my contribution to this movement as threefold. First, to translate – helping the next generation understand what legal tech roles actually look like day-to-day. Second, to connect – leveraging my relationships to open doors. And third, to advocate – championing the idea that there is room in this field for diverse backgrounds, nonlinear paths, and varied definitions of success.

If my career has taught me anything, it’s that growth and generosity are not competing goals. The most meaningful progress happens when we pursue both at the same time.  NExT embodies that philosophy. We climb – but we also lift. And I’m grateful to be part of a community committed to doing both, intentionally and together.