Speaking of Washington, you worked for several years on Capitol Hill. What did you learn from that experience?

It was a great learning experience. Like a lot of young people who work for a member of Congress, I studied international relations in college. But when you first get to Capitol Hill, you don’t have much choice on what issue portfolio you’re given. That was what happened to me. I found myself working on things like education, immigration, federal budgeting, and transportation. While these may not have been of interest at first, realizing this work meant you can help solve problems and shape solutions made it easier to adapt and dive head first into the issues.

Once you leave the Hill and work, as I do, for an advocacy organization, you come to understand how many other ways there are to work on policy solutions. You come to understand, for example, how important and active state legislatures are. You tend to lose focus on that when you work in Congress and work only on federal policy matters.

And what did you conclude from that?

I realize that for all the differences in federal, state, and general advocacy work, some things are the same. To be effective, you need to remember that what matters is being of service. In both environments, you are seeking solutions. You should never forget that.

And you are one of the 2024 cohort of Foundation Fellows?

That’s a great honor and a great experience. The program is designed to develop the next generation of leadership in the public affairs profession, to give a boost to people with diverse backgrounds. And through the program, I’ve developed great professional relationships with the other participants. We have a text chain, we keep in touch, we have reunions, and we can always reach out to one another for advice and help. There are great mentors, and I recommend the program highly.

You say in your LinkedIn profile that dealing with “stressful situations” is one of your strengths. How so?

I have found that I seem to be energized by stressful situations. When there’s a crisis coming on, I don’t get distracted. I focus on solving the problem. I seem to be able to think better and write faster and more clearly.

So, what do you like to do when you are not solving problems and being of service — when you aren’t at work?

A little background might help here. I’m from Queens, N.Y., from a large extended Greek family. When I was growing up in Astoria — not far from the bakery that the actor Christopher Walken’s family owned — almost everybody on our block was family. Anyway, cooking was a big deal in our community. For Easter, for example, we’d prepare an entire lamb on a spit in our backyard. I enjoyed cooking, and over time, I took over the holiday cooking responsibilities from my mother. So, cooking became my hobby. I love hosting dinner parties for family and friends.

Is that a stressful situation?

It can be!

Reach Nick at [email protected].