#PolicyProfile: “I grew up in Groton, Massachusetts, as a second-generation American with family roots in China and Italy. From a young age, my cultural heritage shaped my worldview, sparking a passion for foreign languages, global affairs, and travel. Living and studying abroad in France and China further deepened my interest, which I sought to apply through national service. In 2019, I was commissioned as an Air Force Intelligence Officer and spent four years supporting missions in Europe and South America. For a majority of that time, I was assigned to the Intelligence Directorate for U.S. European Command. One of my most formative roles was leading a 24/7 team responsible for providing real-time updates and analysis on activity of national security interest in Europe for senior U.S. military and political leaders. Working jointly with NATO allies during several geopolitical crises, I observed firsthand how actionable intelligence served a critical diplomatic function, reinforcing international cooperation and national security. My subsequent assignments continued to focus on strengthening security cooperation with global partners. These insights inspired me to pursue graduate study at Princeton SPIA. SPIA’s interdisciplinary curriculum has allowed me to explore the political and theoretical underpinnings of U.S. national security and transatlantic policy, while also completing research and coursework in other interest areas — from Veterans Affairs reform to the developmental effects of global military crises on the Global South. This past summer, I completed my internship with the German Marshall Fund Technology Program in Berlin, where I supported targeted projects in defense technology and European AI competitiveness and strategy. Princeton SPIA has provided me the opportunity to learn so much from my professors, classmates, and guest speakers, along with the space to connect my lived experiences with the policy challenges I hope to address in the future.”