We can always do better than we are doing now. This concept drives me; I have used it in my fencing and my work. There are so many outdated and poor ways of thinking in the world that simple questioning could change. Why do we think this way? What got us here? What could change that outcome for the betterment of the people it affects? Questions like these are easy to come up with if we take the time, look up at the world around us, and unplug our ears to listen more to each other. Body language and tone of voice are cues we can only get if we interact with the space we inhabit. You can see the associations between people and their environment, their actions and interactions, draw possible conclusions, and ask better questions.

Learning and openly exchanging ideas and experiences with others motivates me. Viewing ideas from another’s perspective and gaining new ones from the exchange is a wealth of opportunity. Having the ability over the years to be a part of collaborative work in sports, academics, and life has allowed this insight to flourish, and I am always seeking more opportunities to experience it first-hand. Through these exchanges, we can adapt and strengthen our ability to think better, empathize better, and connect better.

Inspiration comes from watching and helping people grow and learn. I’d been a fencing coach for twenty years before going to graduate school. My students were successful, not just because they won but because they became champions of themselves as well. Each had distinct goals, some desired gold medals, while others wanted to be part of a team or find other like-minded individuals, and they achieved their goals by learning to work together. They learned to overcome fears of failure, self-doubt, and physical limitations by seeing themselves for who they were and what they had. My students’ fortitude and stamina inspired me regardless of my role in their growth. Teaching them has led me to make my own changes as I helped them achieve their dreams.

I enjoy using design principles to educate, inform and solve problems, as I have done personally, professionally, and for the athletes, I still train. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel the world through my fencing. Winning was only one aspect of that experience; the first-hand encounters in different countries and interactions with other people gave me different perspectives on the world. The education I got outside the traditional classroom was equally valuable. Being part of a design team would give me the opportunity to share my unique background, creativity, and energy with an even broader group of people.