Q: Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m from northern Virginia, right outside of Washington DC. I graduated from DePaul University in June, where I studied Environmental Studies and Political Science.
Q: Why did you choose those majors?
When I was a senior in high school I took an environmental studies class that taught me about things that I had absolutely no idea about before like the great pacific garbage patch. I never used to think about the consequences of simple actions like driving around or throwing away garbage, so when I came to DePaul and started learning about it I began to enjoy yelling at people about recycling and protecting the environment, which earned me the award for “biggest tree hugger” in my sorority. I soon realized that if I wanted to actually do something to implement lasting change, then I would have to do it through policy.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to cook, even though I’m not very good at it. I also like to hang out by the lake and go swimming, and I watch way too much TV and movies (my favorite movie is Forgetting Sarah Marshall– I know almost all of the lines to it). In college I was involved in a sorority, which took up all of my extra time. I don’t know, I’m really not that interesting.
Q: What drew you to politics?
Despite not working for the government, which is pretty rare for people living in northern Virginia and Maryland, my parents were always super into politics so that’s all we talk about when I’m home. It sounds weird but my family is not religious at all, so I kind of base my morals off of politics because that’s what I was basically raised on. It bothers me when people say they don’t care about stuff. My sister is in graduate school for public policy, and I interned with the Sierra Club, Tammy Duckworth’s campaign, and Anne Williams (Illinois state representative).
Q: Why did you decide to apply for a position at PTP?
When my old intern supervisor first encouraged me to apply, I started reading about PTP and thought it was pretty cool that someone is actually going door to door making sure that Democrats vote because most people say that they vote all the time even though you know that they don’t. So holding people accountable is something I think is really important, because Donald Trump could be our next president otherwise, especially if you look at the stuff that happened with the EU, where people said things like, “I voted to leave but I didn’t think it would actually matter”. Voter turnout is so low that making sure people vote Democrat is so important to me, so I encourage all my friends to vote.
Q: What is the best tactic that you use to get a CTV card?
I learned that most people don’t like to be talked down to, so I like to get straight to the point. Most of the time I can get people to sign the CTV card if they answer the door, but often I speak with a nanny or relative instead of them. I’ve learned to be as direct as possible, otherwise they will slam the door in my face or tell me something like, “I know when to vote and who’s running” before i have the opportunity to really talk with them about what we’re doing.
Q: What was the most memorable encounter you’ve had with someone while working as a field rep?
My second day in the field, I met this woman who invited me in and fed me lasagna and ice cream. Her and her husband talked with me for an hour and a half about the republican party and politics in general, and they were really nice. For the most part, people are nice and invite us in and give us water, but then there are others who are the exact opposite.
Q: If you could have lunch with one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Beyonce. I’m obsessed with her, not only because she is incredibly talented, but also because she has done a ton of stuff for young women, including promoting education. I’m just fascinated by her, she’s just incredible. Michelle Obama is a close second.
