Year you graduated high school? 2010

What years were you at St Catherine's? 2001-2010

What activities (clubs, sports, music, theatre etc) did you participate in as a student at St Catherine's? Mainly debate and MUN--though I also did help organise the House Cup Quiz!

What did you do after St Catherine's? Where did you go to university, and what are you/did you study? Have you had any interesting internships or work experiences? I graduated from Yale University in 2014, and had a number of great internships during that time: I drafted memos for the EU Commission in Brussels, conducted research for J. Richardson Dilworth Professor of History Paul Kennedy in New Haven, and edited articles for OpenDemocracy in London.

Fil as the second from the right side of the photo.

How do you feel your education and time at St Catherine's helped shape your life-choices, your career, and the decisions you have taken? St. Catherine's gave me the flexibility to pursue my interests inside and outside the classroom, especially through the school's strong debate program and its links to the broader Greek debate community.

What gives you passion or motivation in your current profession, or main hobby? How did you end up in this particular field? In my current role as a GovTech venture builder and advisor, I'm thrilled by the incredible scale of the state and its capacity to change the lives of citizens for the better, especially when armed with the best of today's technology. At the same time, I also find the necessary constraints on government fascinating, even motivating: very few organisations have to satisfy so many complex and conflicting needs while being held to high standards of transparency, accessibility, and equity.

Any advice for current St Cats students? Or young alums as they begin to make their way in the world about how to take advantage of opportunities, connections, mentors? Don't hesitate to reach out to other alumni mentors, but also be mindful of the many demands on the time of those working, studying, or raising children. Don't be surprised if you need to follow up on your outreach message, and if you don't hear back even after two or three messages.

Thank you Fil for updating us on how far you have come and for sharing your valuable experiences with our community. Best of luck going forward and we can't wait to hear about the next phase of your journey and your very bright future!

Fil as the first from right to left.

We all have a story and a journey to share, see you in the Spotlight! (it is interview question style which is so easy) -   Alumni Spotlight