Source: US FBI
Describe your most memorable investigative success.
Coming from a science background where I often worked alone or with only a few people in a lab, I quickly realized that as an agent I was now in a career where knocking on the doors of strangers would be a regular part of my job. Even when the interviewee was receptive and cooperative, learning to ask the right questions was a challenge. Then, there is the even tougher job of gathering information from people who may not want to cooperate with an investigation. Learning to find common ground, ask the right questions, and draw people out was challenging, but it has proven to be an invaluable tool toward my investigative success.
Share the thing you are most proud of from your FBI career.
Continuing to be persistent after 20 years of being an FBI agent is what I am most proud of. The FBI is many amazing things, but it also continues to be a bureaucracy where employees frequently encounter policies they must navigate. FBI agents also work with other agencies and organizations that have their own separate rules and policies. Steering around those hurdles, interagency politics, and the many different personalities while trying to get the help needed requires perseverance and endurance. I remain proactive to get questions answered and obtain needed information in order to advance investigations.