the american dream

The fight first arrived in the dawn hour…

War in the remote highlands of east Africa severed me from my parents when I was a toddler. A donkey kicked my forehead with violence that nearly killed me at the age of 2. An old lady dressed me as a little girl and smuggled me out of Ethiopia when I was 7. I arrived in the U.S. as a refugee at the age of 9.

In a new land…

I was run over by a car and, with a cracked skull, had to learn everything anew when I was 11. Was attacked, kicked in the head and thrown into a coma for being a ”nigger” at the age of 16. Worked three jobs, scraping by with two to three hours of sleep a night until I could escape.

After I escaped…

I thrived at Williams College, became a Goldwater Scholar and graduated with Highest Honors in Chemistry. Breezed through an accelerated 1-year MBA at Northwestern University. Conquered Partner election at McKinsey & Company. Hyperventilated through becoming a Dad to two remarkable daughters.

But the demons gave chase…

I was an overeager and restless White House appointee in the Obama Administration. A delirious Partner at Oliver Wyman. Blundered back into my childhood and fell into danger I could not understand.

Oblivion eluded me.

So, I tried again…

I was anointed Senior Managing Director at Accenture. Was nominated by President Biden to lead federal procurement.

And still, it was suffocating...

Until clarity found me one day.

I care most about building a better world for my girls.

There’s only one way I know how to do that.

And like a crisp spring morning, all the years have delivered me back to my true self.

The haughty teenager.
Enterprising survivor.
Obsessively hunting for answers
and doing it with unrelenting energy.