August 28, 2026
August 28, 2026
I spent spring semester listening to Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z every day, manifesting a summer in New York at a PR tech agency. At the time, I barely knew anything about tech.
My path to Mission North started the fall before, when I was living in D.C. for a school program. I reached out to Emily LeClair, a fellow University of Florida Gator, to ask what a career with a PR degree could look like. She told me about the organization where she works: Mission North.
Flash forward to February. I was applying for the Foster the Future Fellowship, then realized Mission North was the program’s creator! It was a moment of serendipity, and if you know me, you know I thrive on these moments of synchronicity.
Questions and Multi-Colored Crayons
May 26 was my first day of work, and I was terrified. I got into the elevator and pressed 7. Jessica Mouw got in beside me and pressed 9. I remember immediately thinking, “Wait… am I going to the wrong floor?” It was a small moment, but it captured how nervous I was. I wanted to be great, and I was afraid of getting overwhelmed or not being able to keep up.
Instead, I found a place that made room for every part of me.
I found a place that made room for every part of me.
I spent my summer learning. I saw how policy shifts, executive perspectives, and consumer reactions change the world. Across Mission North’s fintech, energy, health sciences, consumer, and AI practices, I got to participate in client calls, help with analysis documents, support new business pitches, and pitch reporters.
Curiosity eventually came full circle for me. I remember talking about how much I valued it, during my interviews. Well, during my first week, I opened Slack and saw the Question of the Day: queries, like “What is the most overrated dessert?” or “What were your top three TV channels as a kid?” I knew immediately that I had found my people. I ask my roommates these kinds of questions all the time. One of my favorites is, “If you were a crayon, what color would you be?” I have always said I would be a multi-colored crayon.
This summer at Mission North showed me why. Summer in agency life is dynamic. People go on vacation, staffing shifts, and new projects pop up overnight. Being dynamic was my greatest strength. Mission North gave me every opportunity to step in wherever I was needed. If someone needed red, I became red. When they needed blue, I was blue. Every new project, team, and practice area gave me another way to learn, contribute, and be my best self. I got to participate in every practice and got involved with every task I could wish for.
Curiosity came full circle again at our monthly All Hands meeting. In July, junior staff had the opportunity to present something to the entire Mission North team, and I took it. I gave my first presentation, not to a classroom of students but to professionals with incredible backgrounds, on sharing the benefits of curiosity in the workplace through ideas inspired by Andrew Huberman’s podcast. It was equal parts nerve-racking and meaningful—and a moment I will never forget.
Growing a Garden
During my first week at Mission North I also read an article someone shared about the transition in science from a one-source system and toward a garden, where every level contributes to growth. I have thought about that analogy ever since.
Mission North is a garden.
It is a place where people share what they learn, make room for one another, and help each other grow. From roundtable lunches with Mission North leadership to learning from people across the industry I admire, including Natan Edelsburg, Mark Strong, and Brian Gabay, I never felt like “just an intern.” Sitting alongside VPs and the CEO, being welcomed into conversations, and feeling that my perspective mattered showed me that Mission North is more than just an organization. It is a family.
Mission North is a garden. It is a place where people share what they learn, make room for one another, and help each other grow.
Contrary to popular belief, Bagel Mondays and pizza were not my favorite part of the summer. The people were. These last 12 weeks changed my life. I was challenged and never bored. I felt accepted every day, and that inspiration to show up helped me become a stronger version of myself. As I leave, I take with me the lessons of being intentional with even the smallest details, and always staying curious. I will also take with me a piece of every person who made this summer so meaningful. And, every time I see a compass, I will remember Mission North.
With this fellowship wrapping up, I’m struggling to put into words how I feel: devastated, excited, fulfilled, proud, and perhaps full of love? But I do know this much; despite the headlines, I really believe the world is healing inside spaces like this.
Thank you, Mission North, for the luckiest summer. I cannot wait to see what comes next.
