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Software Engineer at Datadog in New York City, NY
As a former dorm president, student-athlete, and teaching assistant, I have a broad MIT experience to draw upon. I have worked with students and administration on topics like free expression, student life, and wellness, and I see serving on the Corporation as a continuation of the work I was doing on campus. With my recent undergraduate experience to utilize, I would strive to represent students’ interests in the Corporation and advocate for their needs.
Right now, MIT is caught up in a rapidly changing world. Education is transforming quickly with new AI tools that both assist and threaten how we’ve taught students for decades. With a diverse, international community, MIT is seeing geopolitical conflicts and instability brought from around the globe on our campus. Now more than ever is a time for listening, support, and collaboration. I would like to serve on the Corporation to offer my perspectives and help MIT tackle these great challenges.
If you could influence MIT’s long-term strategy, what significant strategic challenge would you prioritize addressing, and how would you approach it?
The rapid development of AI is drastically transforming knowledge work, inside and out of MIT. Methods for teaching, assessing knowledge, and synthesizing information will need to change in a world with readily available AI tools.
We need to cultivate an environment in which students can take advantage of AI to enhance their learning, but we must continue to develop the critical thinking and leadership skills the MIT community is known for. We must also proceed with curiosity and understanding, helping labs, departments, and students use AI in a responsible way. I want to help MIT stay ahead of the curve, as we prepare students to make an impact in a rapidly changing world.
How have your experiences and perspectives prepared you to serve effectively as a recent graduate member of the Corporation?
While at MIT, I had the opportunity to work with the administration on a variety of student life issues, serving as Burton-Conner dorm president and UA councilmember. I developed an understanding of how the MIT administration works, its goals and constraints, and where there’s room for compromise and negotiation.
I also gained an appreciation for a key student support system: our diversity of dorms, frats, sororities, and living communities. I was proud, as dorm president, to help cultivate a community that so many students called home.
SB 2024 MIT, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Varsity Cross-Country and Track and Field, 2019 to 2024
- Aided in the recruiting process, helping recruits learn about MIT and its offerings
- Organized team travel to national meets three years in a row to support the competing athletes
Burton-Conner House, 2019-2022
- Member, Transition Team
- Met with administrators and project leads from Housing and Residential Services for three years for a two-year renovation process
- Supported residents as they moved into the new building, relaying requests to administration and advocating for students
MIT Dormitory Council, 2021-2023
- Elected Technology Chair
- Created an interactive website and new booklet for Residence Exploration (REX)
- Collaborated on a redesign of MIT's Guide to Residences, advocating for a better experience for incoming first years researching their first home on campus
Nominated for Phi Beta Kappa honors and joined in 2024
Elected Burton-Conner House President, 2023
- Designed and implemented our floor community assignment process
- Supported and funded community initiatives
- Represented residents on UA Council
Current MIT BE PhD Alum
Building meaningful connections with fellow students, staff, and faculty—both in research and personally—has been the most meaningful part of my PhD experience. My dedication to our culture of camaraderie and curiosity motivates me to join the Corporation to ensure that MIT remains a place where all members can thrive and foster innovation for a better world during this climate of uncertainty.
In an era of rising costs, challenges to intellectual freedom, and growing opposition to diversity initiatives, MIT must: (1) strengthen community through people-centered policies and (2) act as a leader in higher education to defend universities against external threats.
A strong MIT community depends on communication, trust, and genuine inclusion. This means sustaining equity and inclusion efforts, incentivizing interdisciplinary collaboration, and partnering in good faith with student organizations like the Graduate Student Union and the Coalition for Palestine to address concerns. We are strongest when students, staff, and faculty are united to solve problems while centering marginalized voices.
Through advocacy and strategic coalition building, MIT can safeguard our ability to educate and conduct research. We have done this before, suing DHS and ICE alongside Harvard in 2020 to protect international students, and launching research initiatives like the Health and Life Sciences Collaborative. Future challenges will require both legal defense and creative solutions in funding and resource allocation.
MIT must be ready to stand up rather than stand by. As a Corporation member, I will work to ensure our institution remains bold in advancing knowledge, fostering community, and shaping the future of higher education.
If you could influence MIT’s long-term strategy, what significant strategic challenge would you prioritize addressing, and how would you approach it?
I would prioritize strengthening communication and innovative fundraising to counter political attacks on higher education and financial insecurity. Clear communication fosters alignment within MIT’s decentralized structure and can more effectively highlight our contributions to the broader community. As financial constraints rise, MIT must explore novel partnerships with private organizations, philanthropies, and others to sustain its core mission. To advance these priorities, I would collaborate across MIT’s community, peer institutions, and local organizations to develop strategic solutions.
How have your experiences and perspectives prepared you to serve effectively as a recent graduate member of the Corporation?
My experience as a student leader and researcher has prepared me to serve effectively on the Corporation. As a Graduate Student Union member and REFS member, I directly engaged with graduate researchers’ challenges, helped resolve issues, and twice participated in my department’s visiting committee to convey strategic concerns to MIT leadership. I also served as a bridge between students and administration through the Graduate Student Council and Corporation Joint Advisory Committee, where I honed my advocacy skills, facilitated dialogue on critical issues, and championed people-centered solutions.
PhD 2024 MIT, Biological Engineering
MIT Graduate Student Union/UE Local 256, June 2022–June 2024
-Member of the Constitution Committee
MIT Graduate Student Council, September 2018–April 2024
- Vice president
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion chair: helped create the MIT Strategic Action Plan for Belonging, Achievement & Composition
- Orientation chair
- External Affairs Board, member-at-large
MIT Corporation Joint Advisory Committee, September 2020–June 2024
Graduate First-Generation Low-Income@MIT
- Cofounder & advisor
- Helped organize the 10th Annual First-Gen Summit at MIT
Biological Engineering Resources for Easing Friction & Stress (REFS), January 2019–September 2023
Distinguished Fellowships Advisor, July 2019–November 2023
Graduate Woman of Excellence Award, 2023
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award, 2022
Karl Taylor Compton Prize, 2020
Alfred P. Sloan Scholar, 2018–2024
Latinx Graduate Student Association
- Member
Graduate Student – MIT Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Research Intern – The Robotics and AI Institute
Through my years at MIT, I’ve had the honor of representing students in many roles, including as president of the Graduate Student Council (GSC), as a Bargaining Committee representative of the Graduate Student Union (GSU), and as a student representative on the Committee on Academic Freedom and Community Expression (CAFCE). I’ve seen much of how MIT works, how change happens here, and where we too often fall short. I’m seeking to become this year’s recent graduate to the Corporation to continue my service to the students of MIT and be a positive force of change for the Institute today and the students of tomorrow.
In this role, I will seek broader, more reliable, and more consistent support resources for all students to thrive; foster an open, inclusive, respectful, expressive, and supportive community where everyone feels they belong; and hold our leadership accountable to principles of transparency and fairness, and to keep what makes MIT unique at the fore. As a global university, we must prepare our students and the Institute to take on the biggest challenges of the coming decades. The climate crisis, anti-science disinformation, and the rise of artificial intelligence will have profound consequences for the world, and we have a duty to take on these hardest problems.
While it wasn’t always easy, MIT gave me so many friends, memories, and experiences I will cherish—and I believe every student deserves the same. When leaving MIT, students should be prepared for a world of challenge and opportunity.
If you could influence MIT’s long-term strategy, what significant strategic challenge would you prioritize addressing, and how would you approach it?
If I could change one thing about MIT’s future strategic trajectory, it would be to embrace more of what makes us MIT and not sacrifice it to be like other schools. What drew me to MIT was that ethos of doing things differently, taking on problems with no clear solutions, and prevailing through persistence and curiosity. We’re facing a broadly challenging future for universities. Public trust in education is low, funding sources are increasingly inconsistent, and technology is changing rapidly. We need an MIT that is dynamic, adaptive, innovative, unafraid of change, and comfortable trying things differently than our peers because that’s what made us MIT and can make our future too.
How have your experiences and perspectives prepared you to serve effectively as a recent graduate member of the Corporation?
After becoming grad president, I had big ideas of what I wanted to see done at MIT, such as addressing student cost of living, resolving bad advising situations, and making our disciplinary procedures fairer. I thought it would be straightforward with persistence, but instead, it was my most “drinking-from-the-MIT-firehose" experience. Learning the web of departments, programs, and offices alone took a year, but it served me well as I grew more effective. My years of experience in the GSC and GSU allow me to hit the ground running in making MIT a better place for everyone. As our representative to the Corporation, I can contribute immediately because I know MIT’s messiness well.
PhD 2025 MIT, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
SM 2022 MIT, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
BS 2019 Clemson University, Physics
BS 2019 Clemson University, Computer Science
MIT Graduate Student Council, April 2021–May 2023
- President
- Ad hoc committee member: helped address graduate housing, community engagement, graduate orientation, and other student-related activities
MIT Alumni Association Board of Directors, July 2021–June 2023
- Invited guest
Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Freedom and Free Expression, February 2024–Present
- Graduate student representative
Bargaining Committee, June 2022–November 2023
- Lead negotiator and representative for MIT’s first graduate workers' contract
Elected president of Graduate Student Council twice, 2021 and 2022
Secured the first MIT graduate workers union contract in Fall 2023 as one of two lead negotiators
Director of Research, Assistant Professor
MIT shaped my career by instilling in me a deep respect for research, rigorous academic inquiry, and the role of institutions in advancing knowledge. As a nuclear scientist with experience in university accreditation, I have seen how strategic planning ensures that an institution continues to serve its students, faculty, and research mission effectively. At West Point, I have worked on both institutional accreditation through the Middle States Commission for Higher Education (MSCHE) and engineering program accreditation through ABET, giving me insight into how universities maintain excellence while adapting to change. If elected, I will bring this perspective to the MIT Corporation, ensuring that academic quality and student needs remain central to MIT’s planning and governance.
The greatest challenge facing MIT is navigating the evolving landscape of research funding and policy changes. For students and recent graduates, this also means ensuring that research opportunities, industry partnerships, and career pathways remain strong—whether in academia, startups, or beyond. The Corporation plays a critical role in ensuring MIT continues to thrive as a global leader in innovation. I will advocate for the importance of robust partnerships between research and those that fund its advancement—preserving both the freedom to conduct groundbreaking research and the ability to sustain it through stable funding. Drawing on my experience in research planning and accreditation, I will support MIT in making strategic decisions that protect its core mission: advancing science and technology for the betterment of the world. I am honored to be considered for this role.
If you could influence MIT’s long-term strategy, what significant strategic challenge would you prioritize addressing, and how would you approach it?
A major challenge for MIT is ensuring that research remains well-funded, resilient, and independent. As funding sources, institutional priorities, and partnerships evolve, governance decisions must prioritize robust, diverse resourcing models that provide both stability and flexibility. I would advocate for adaptable funding strategies that anticipate shifts in support, strengthen cross-sector partnerships, and ensure that MIT has contingency plans in place. I believe leadership means not just identifying challenges but bringing actionable solutions to the table. By taking a proactive approach, MIT can remain at the forefront of discovery while safeguarding research freedom, academic rigor, and student opportunity—allowing bold ideas to thrive.
How have your experiences and perspectives prepared you to serve effectively as a recent graduate member of the Corporation?
As a nuclear scientist, research director, educator, and recent grad, I bring experience in institutional accreditation and strategic resource planning, which are key to MIT’s long-term success. I know firsthand how challenging it can be to step out of MIT and into the workforce, to bridge the gap between academic excellence and real-world expectations. As someone who has worked at the intersection of academia, research, and policy, I know how decisions at the governance level shape opportunities for students and graduates. I will work to ensure MIT’s strategy reflects the needs of recent grads—supporting them as they launch careers, drive innovation, and become leaders in their fields.
PhD 2024 MIT, Nuclear Science and Engineering
SM 2016 MIT, Nuclear Science and Engineering
BS 2006 United States Military Academy, International History
MIT Student Veterans Association (SVA), 2021-2024
- Vice president
- Treasurer
- Event organizer for Veterans Day galas and speaker series
MIT Delegation to the NNSA University Research Consortium, 2014-2016 and 2021-2024
- Student researcher
- Presenter
- Mentor
MIT American Nuclear Society (ANS), 2014-2016 and 2021-2024
- Graduate Student Council ANS representative
- Social chair
PhD Research Awards, 2021-2024
- Recognized for presentations, posters, and communication, including from my multi-university research consortium and the MIT Nuclear Science Symposium
- Transformed my applied nuclear physics research into a field-portable system
- Very proudly balanced academic rigor while raising twin infants who grew into thriving toddlers; stayed active with the MIT Office of Graduate Education family groups and advocated for graduate student families, helping to foster our community
Current Student: MIT 1 & 11 ’25
I have a sincere appreciation for MIT and wish to ensure that we can continue to provide a world-class education, opportunity, and experience to students. Throughout my time at MIT, I’ve strived to find roles in which I can engage in productive conversations aimed at improving student life. My time at MIT has equipped me with valuable insights that I can leverage on the Corporation, and I am eager to continue working toward positive change.
The MIT community has faced significant challenges in recent years, and given the current political climate, it is likely the next few years won’t be easy either. Ultimately, the Corporation has a crucial role to play in ensuring a more stable environment amid turbulent times. In the near-term, it is critical to improve campus cohesion and foster a more constructive relationship between students and the MIT administration. Meaningful steps need to be taken to improve transparency to build trust and unity. My goal is for all community members to feel more welcome, secure in their beliefs, and confident in their ability to strive at MIT and beyond. Please consider me as your recent graduate representative on the MIT Corporation!
If you could influence MIT’s long-term strategy, what significant strategic challenge would you prioritize addressing, and how would you approach it?
In the long-term, I believe that MIT has a responsibility to better address concerns relating to housing and food security. Similar strategies used to bring tenants to Kendall Square should be employed across campus, alongside an overhaul of MIT’s food / dining contract. Additionally, as a native Bostonian, I am committed to implementing a more holistic approach to housing that improves conditions for all community members. Additionally, MIT needs to address declining undergraduate enrollment in small departments (such as my own); I will ensure these small departments are better served and utilized.
How have your experiences and perspectives prepared you to serve effectively as a recent graduate member of the Corporation?
I have had the privilege of representing undergraduates on multiple faculty governance committees, including the Shuttle Committee, the Committee on Campus Planning, and the Committee on Discipline (COD). I’ve also been able to engage with the MIT Corporation for both of my departments’ visiting committees. On the Corporation, I can leverage these valuable experiences to improve communication between campus stakeholders. I will also be able to provide unique insights to help the Corporation make more informed decisions and recommendations.
SB 2025 MIT, Civil and Environmental Engineering
SB 2025 MIT, Urban Planning
Theta Tau Professional Engineering Fraternity, 2021-Present
- President and Regent
MIT Interfraternity Council (IFC), 2022-Present
- Chair, IFC Judicial Committee
MIT Committee on Discipline, 2022-Present
- Undergraduate Member and Representative
Jeffrey L. Pressman Award, 2022
- Scholarship for paid internship for the City of Boston
Software Engineer at Microsoft
I’m running for the MIT Corporation because I got a lot out of MIT: I learned both in class, where I studied writing and computer science, and outside of class, where I participated in student government, theater, and beyond. The uniqueness of MIT’s student life was a big part of that for me. Though there are still many challenges to be solved—food insecurity, housing processes, the culture around mental health, to name a few—I want to help ensure that MIT students after me have the same basic experience: To be able to explore new things and take on new challenges with the support of their peers and the Institute.
I’m also running because I know it is a challenging time for the Institute, between ongoing campus tensions and the current federal environment. I think these kinds of difficult times are exactly when it is easiest to lose sight of MIT’s mission, and for students and administrators to become reactive rather than proactive. I don’t claim to have easy answers for these questions, but having served on the Dormitory Council, as my dorm exec, and as a leader in many clubs in the wake of COVID, I’d like to think I have some experience thinking through hard problems, helping bridge the gap between students and administrators, and finding ways to keep organizations going in the face of unpredictable change.
If you could influence MIT’s long-term strategy, what significant strategic challenge would you prioritize addressing, and how would you approach it?
I would prioritize trying to unify the MIT community. Over the past few years, mutual trust between students, faculty, and administrators has faltered under the stress of fights over union contracts, free speech and the Israel-Palestine conflict, and a general tendency for disconnection in the post-COVID era. This comes at a time when having a unified and focused Institute is especially important, as we face the political challenges of the current federal environment and the scientific challenges of climate change, artificial intelligence, etc. Proactive work to collaborate across these groups, with a focus on mutual support and MIT’s mission, would strengthen our position significantly.
How have your experiences and perspectives prepared you to serve effectively as a recent graduate member of the Corporation?
I’ve served in many student government positions, all of which have required me to be highly adaptable—my very first role was on a CPW committee in Spring 2020, where we pivoted to a virtual environment in only a few weeks. From these experiences, I’ve learned to have an openness and thoughtfulness about all sorts of student issues, from financial aid to housing assignments to freedom of speech, and I’ve gotten to work a lot with administrators across MIT, including with Suzy Nelson during my tenure as VP of DormCon. Having thought about many a dorm tradition, I don’t think there are assumptions that can’t be challenged, and I’m excited to bring this experience and view to the Corporation.
MEng 2024 MIT, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
SB 2023 MIT, Computer Science and Engineering
SB 2023 MIT, Writing
Dormitory Council Executive Board, 2021-2023
- Vice president
- Judicial Committee chair
Next House Executive Board, 2020-2022
- President
- Vice president of relations
- Committee member: Campus Preview Weekend/Residence Exploration (CPW/REX), GRA Hiring, Thanksgiving
Next Act Musical Theater Production, 2022-2024
- Vocal director
- Actor
- Playwright
- Codirector
MIT Admissions, 2020-2024
- Blogger
Laya and Jerome B. Wiesner Award for Student Arts, 2024
Elected Phi Beta Kappa in 2023 as an outstanding MIT undergraduate for excellence in the liberal arts
Received a 6.9/7.0 in overall subject evaluations as a graduate teaching assistant for 6.1910 in Fall 2023 and a 7.0/7.0 in subject evaluations for 6.1903 and 6.1904 (half-term subjects) in Spring 2024
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