I embarked on a career as a professional naval officer as a member of the Hampton Roads Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) at Old Dominion University (ODU), one of the largest ROTC units in the United States and co-located with the largest naval base in the world. As a full-time student at ODU, I earned a Bachelor’s of Science (BS) in Communications with a minor in Business. In my current role as the Commanding Officer of Naval Station Norfolk, the scope and scale of my responsibilities are similar to that of a city manager, as I oversee the daily affairs of the naval station to ensure support to the fleet. My course of study at ODU prepared me for this position by developing my abilities in media relations, public speaking skills, and problem-solving and decision making skills---all things that I employ daily as the Commanding Officer of Naval Station Norfolk!

_{*Neither this image nor quote implies or constitutes Department of Defense endorsement of ODU}