Corporation for National and Community Service

Interview by Liz Matthews, AmeriCorps VISTA Alumni Outreach Team Lead 

You’re a United States Air Force veteran, you served two terms with AmeriCorps VISTA, and now you’re the Director of Outreach at NYC Service, Office of the Mayor. And you had a very famous dog. But we’ll get to that.

What motivated you to join the Air Force?

My family has a long history of military service, and I thought it was a great opportunity to continue that tradition. At the time, I was living in New York City, and unsure what I wanted to do professionally, and thought the Air Force would allow me to gain the experiences required for success and pay for my college education.

How did your experience as a veteran influence your decision to serve with AmeriCorps VISTA?

After leaving the Air Force, I received my Bachelor’s Degree and worked full-time for a marketing company for several years until the crash of 2008. I was unsure what I wanted to do and knew nothing about AmeriCorps. I heard about AmeriCorps VISTA from a friend, so I did my research, and realized that AmeriCorps VISTA was the perfect fit for me – I was already doing this type of meaningful work in my personal life.

Why did you choose to serve with the American Red Cross?

On September 11th, my spouse and I were displaced for nearly 9 weeks, and the American Red Cross was one of the many organizations that supported us during that challenging time. So when an opportunity to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA member became available at the American Red Cross, I applied and was accepted. I found it to be a great fit on a personal level since they helped me during my time of crisis, and now I can do the same for others.