Alaina, Management Officer
Hi. My name is Alaina. I'm in the management career track.
I have lots of stories over my entire career, but there is one that sticks in my mind.
I was woken up by the sound of the radio. We all had radios for emergency communication. And it was a Peace Corps volunteer who was having a medical problem. And there was really nobody available to respond to him.
I supervised the health unit, and I had the keys to the office. I knew where the medical supplies were. I knew how to get the doctor, and as a result, the volunteer was able to get the treatment he needed and go on his way.
There are crises of all kinds that come along, and you really have to be prepared to act. And I think that's the key — is being able to act outside of the box. Knowing how to apply your knowledge, your authority, your resources to a problem and solving it.
I've really enjoyed my career with the Department and in the management track in particular…
Being able to see the results of my work, whether it's a new building we've acquired, somebody I've hired, a project that we've been able to fund and undertake and make happen. All those things contribute certainly to enormous personal satisfaction, but I'm also honored to be a servant of the American people…to be out there pursuing our administration and our country's foreign policy. And I think that at the end of the day, every time I've had a rough day, that what I look back on and think, "This is why I'm here. This is what makes it important and worthwhile."