Can you tell us your official degree and where you received it?
BS in Computer Science (Human-Computer Interaction focus) with a Notation in Science Communication, Stanford University
What were your main duties as a Microsoft fellow? 
I coordinated our sponsorship program with Code for San Jose, helped design the Athena civic tech visualization tool, and worked on community projects with Code for San Francisco teams. I also refined curriculum for Microsoft-sponsored (e.g. CoderDojo) classes and helped run civic-minded hackathon-type events in Mountain View and San Jose.
What has been your favorite project with the Technology and Civic Engagement Team?
My favorite part about working on projects with the Technology and Civic Engagement (TCE) Team was the opportunity for people with a variety of skill sets to gather at the same table, allowing for great combined impact in community efforts. For example, In Summer 2014 I worked with a Code for San Francisco team to develop and launch LocalFreeWeb, a service that uses SF bus stop IDs to inform non-smartphone users via SMS of nearby libraries, community centers, etc. offering free Internet access. When it came time to promote the service, Kenny Spade’s videography skills proved indispensable for the short commercial we filmed to accompany our flyer campaign.
Where is civic tech taking you next?
As I continue to grow in my current role as a Microsoft PM in the enterprise and security space, I am syncing up with the TCE Team here in Redmond to identify any opportunities for me to plug in and help out where I can.
What advice do you have for future fellows?
I would suggest two things: 1) really taking the time to learn what other team members are working on, and 2) consciously shaping the fellowship to cater to areas in which you most want to grow. Having a genuine interest in the work of those around me exposed me to new interests and helped shape my career goals. Similarly, using the fellowship’s connections to multiple sides of the TCE ecosystem (evangelism, education, non-profits, etc.) yielded a lot of insight into where my specific strengths might make the biggest difference.
