Success Stories
Lewis May: 2020 PMF
I applied for the PMF program after several mentors of mine had recommended the program. Joining the federal government can be a challenging process, and the PMF program did a lot to streamline the entry process. It also opened the doors to join agencies I may not have considered otherwise. I was not considering FEMA at the time when I was selected as a Fellow, but I ultimately chose to accept the offer because it offered the most direct opportunity to respond to the Coronavirus pandemic.
As a Fellow, it's been a wonderful ride! My home office with PMF is the Preparedness Division, where I work as a program analyst. It's been a great vantage point from which to see all the myriad ways the government prepares for the surprising amount of disasters that occur nationwide over the course of a single year. I also got to do an internal rotation with FEMA's policy team during the opening months of the Biden administration, helping to coordinate the flurry of executive orders in the early days of his term. All these experiences gave me a wide view of how government agencies work together under challenging circumstances to achieve a shared mission.
As part of my longer-term developmental rotation, I was able to join the White House Press Office, which has been the most fascinating professional experience of my life so far. I am deeply grateful for the special opportunity to work in the West Wing on the most important issues with some of the most driven and knowledgeable people on the planet. I got to manage the draft of the President's daily news summary while coordinating media events with leading White House press correspondents. Working with Press Secretaries Jen Psaki and Karine Jean-Pierre in particular has been inspirational, as they both bring a combination of knowledge, dedication and sincere kindness that is truly remarkable. Flying on Air Force One and getting a shout-out from Jen in the briefing room wasn't bad either!
While it has been truly painful to watch the tragedy of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it was heartening to be able to serve in the White House and provide what support I could as the administration responded forcefully. I had previously lived in Moldova and Georgia and spoke Russian, so I came in with a context that proved useful as the conflict progressed. I monitored Russian media and open source intelligence for our internal teams and reported on daily DOD backgrounder briefings. Being able to support the Administration's response to the conflict at the highest level, even in a minor way, was fascinating and deeply satisfying, even amidst the incredible tragedy of the conflict. I also felt great pride in being part of an administration that unequivocally stepped up to support the Ukrainian people by rallying bipartisan support and uniting our international partners.