In some ways, I feel like I was at the right place at the right time. I was pursuing my MPA when I decided to take a gap year to explore different roles and gain more clarity about the kind of work I wanted to do after graduate school. In one of those roles, I was introduced to former Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi, who offered me a position to work on her team at City Hall.

Working in the Deputy Mayor for Operations team gave me a firsthand view and appreciation of what it takes to keep a city like New York running day in and day out, coordinating across agencies to address real-life issues that affect millions of New Yorkers. The perspective I gained through this position sparked my interest in solving complex policy and operational challenges to improve the way people experience the city every day.

As a first-generation immigrant, I’m most proud of how far my family and I have come and how hard we’ve worked to get here. I’m grateful to have always had people, especially my parents, who believed in me and encouraged me to learn from others, give back, and apply myself in everything I do. My immigrant upbringing has also shaped how I think about cities and public spaces, and the importance of making them welcoming and accessible to everyone.

Early in my career, I’ve worked on meaningful projects like helping develop New York City’s first Public Realm Action Plan, launching the official NYC Public Restroom Map to make public facilities easier to find, and creating sustainability guidelines for events across the city. Those opportunities were possible because of the trust, mentorship, and collaboration of people I worked with along the way. I feel very fortunate to be a part of a community that challenges, supports, and inspires me in my personal and professional life.

New York City is a big place, but city government can feel like a small town. Relationships matter. Most people working in city government are here because they care deeply about the city and want to make it better. Take time to learn from your colleagues, make connections with the people around you, and treat everyone with respect. I also think being curious, creative, and persistent goes a long way in this work.

I’ve called New York City home for ten years now, and it still feels like a privilege to get to know the city better every year. There’s something comforting about walking down a familiar street and not needing to pull up a map to know where you are or where you’re going – or knowing exactly where to stand on the subway platform for your transfer. I also love passing by places that bring back memories with friends or noticing how a space has changed over time. Those little moments of familiarity and nostalgia are part of what makes living in New York so special.