Mm.

And then I eventually transitioned to, uh, research in the nonprofit space, which is the work that brought me to Freedom House.

I think reflecting, you know, being an immigrant twice over now, um, you know, that experience really, uh, shaped the way that I see the world.

Um, you know, I think values like hard work, humility.

You know, my parents, uh, both had graduate degrees when we immigrated, um, and they delivered pizzas and stuffed envelopes, uh, when I was a kid.

And so, you know, that kind of, um, just working for the things that you want, working for... to make your- a better life for yourself, um, that's certainly part of it, uh, for me.

And then also just coming from, you know, an authoritarian country, um, experiencing the fall of the Soviet Union.

Mm.