From city hall to founder work
Years in New York City and Atlanta government didn’t just teach me process — they taught me what it means when a system fails someone who needs it.
In public service, the work is never abstract. A delayed form, a broken handoff, a confusing portal — those aren’t “edge cases.” They’re a parent missing an appointment, a small business waiting on a license, a neighbor who already spent the day trying to be heard.
At NYC DCAS and later in Atlanta civic roles, I learned to ship under pressure: clear ownership, reliable follow-through, and respect for the people on the other side of the desk. You don’t get to ship something clever that only works for people who already know the system. You build for the person who has one shot at getting it right.
What carried over
Founder work asks for the same discipline with a different pace. Listen hard. Scope honestly. Ship something people can use. Stay accountable when it breaks. The difference is that you choose the problem — and I choose problems that sit with underprivileged families: access, clarity, and tools that don’t assume privilege.
Government hardened me against vanity metrics. Impact first means the product has to hold up when life is messy — when someone’s tired, under-resourced, or navigating institutions that weren’t designed with them in mind.
Building forward
That’s the thread from city hall to the projects I start now. Same backbone. Same standard. Different canvas — and a commitment to keep building for communities that need the work most.