UA_Engineer_25_FINAL_spreads (1) - Flipbook - Page 30
How have your engineering background and skills
bene昀椀ted you in your role?
When an agent needed to gather evidence on a location, I would
equip a car with video coverage. We would leave it to record
activity, during which we could control the cameras and view
the video any time. This meant installing multiple covert
cameras and other components and enough batteries and
power to last a given amount of time. It required drawing out
equipment schematics to calculate the
amount of power needed, installing
and soldering wire, and integrating
systems while tapping into power
supplies. These are all skill sets that
I learned at Bama.
The skills I use almost every
day that were also developed at the
College of Engineering are critical
thinking and using the scienti昀椀c
method to troubleshoot almost any
issue that arises. As someone who
now interviews potential employees,
I think these are vital skills that
any engineering student can and
should highlight when talking to
potential employers. Communication
ABOVE: Wilson with
is also a key skill. I was the TSD
Col. Christoph Graf,
lead coordinator for the 69th United
commander of the
Pontifical Swiss Guard.
Nations General Assembly and a
United Nations Climate Summit,
which required strong communication
skills to coordinate all the agencies involved and ensure a
secure event.
What has been the most rewarding part of your work
with the USSS?
There are two extremely rewarding bene昀椀ts. The 昀椀rst is
getting to see closed-off, behind-the-scenes areas. I was in a
restricted area of the White House where I saw the signatures
of some of the mason builders on the original bricks. Outside
the White House, I have seen the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal and
Emperor Shah Jahan at the Taj Mahal, the Ponti昀椀cal Swiss
Guard armory, and several restricted chapels and rooms
in the Vatican. Only a handful of people have those types
of experiences.
Second—and no less signi昀椀cant than the 昀椀rst—is the
people, now friends, I have met along the way. Anyone I meet
broadens my view of the world. Getting to know someone so
different from myself makes me realize how similar we all are.
What’s the most “engineering” thing you’ve ever done
in the 昀椀eld?
One of my mini careers within the USSS was designing,
installing and maintaining an entire security system to
include video, intrusion detection and access control. I was
the technical lead and project manager for out昀椀tting a large
warehouse with a security system. The project was too big
for us, so we contracted parts of it out. Since I designed the
system and was the tech lead, I knew every detail and nuance
of the job. I had to inform the contractors when they were
installing the wrong cables or a device didn’t work. I tapped
into coursework from almost every major engineering subject
for this project.
30 | CAPSTONE ENGINEER | FALL 2025
What do you think was the most valuable aspect of your
college experience that prepared you for this role?
Learning how to work with different personalities, especially
other Type As, was vital. The USSS is full of them, and we all
have strong opinions. You are bound to bump heads at some
point. Knowing how to de-escalate a situation and sway
others to your point of view with logic, reason and supporting
facts could have a potential long-term impact on your
project’s deadlines.
Without revealing anything classi昀椀ed, what’s a fun story
or a cool or surprising part of your job that people
wouldn’t expect?
In 2013, the vice president was included on Time magazine’s
100 most in昀氀uential people in the world list, and he decided
to attend the honorary gala. I was working the event and had
a chance encounter with Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel.
They needed to be escorted through some blocked off areas.
They were extremely polite and friendly, but the meeting
wasn’t earth-shattering. After zigzagging through the back
areas of Jazz at Lincoln Center, we went our separate ways.
Surprisingly, the same thing happened two weeks later at an
event for the president. I walked up and Justin had a déjà vu
look on his face. “Time 100,” I said. He smiled, and we had
another nice chat.
Since “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” was one of my favorite
movies growing up, along with “War Games” and “Ferris
Bueller’s Day Off,” meeting Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew
Broderick was an unexpected treat. They hosted a fundraiser
for the president at their house. They were courteous,
considering my team and I invaded their privacy to search
their house for explosives. One would think there wouldn’t
be any explosives at a famous person’s house, but the USSS
doesn’t assume.
ABOVE: The presidential limousine,
“The Beast,” is loaded for transport in a C-17.
What advice would you give to engineering students or
young alumni considering careers in public service or
national security?
Get as much work experience as you can in school. Whether
from internships or co-ops, the experience is invaluable. In
public service, you are not going to become a billionaire, but
you can do well 昀椀nancially. Invest in the TSP or 401(k) at the
start. Public service and national security are a calling. It is
a way to serve your country without joining the military. You
should have a good grounding in your beliefs and dedication
to sacri昀椀ce your time with your family and friends to work the
long hours.
