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Alumni Demonstrate Varied Career Options During Student Trip to Washington, D.C.

Students from the Tsai Leadership Program stand on a roof in Washington DC overlooking the city skyline
Students in the Ludwig Program in Public Sector Leadership spent several days in Washington, D.C., meeting with leaders across a variety of public service careers.

For the third consecutive year, students in the Carol and Gene Ludwig Program in Public Sector Leadership, part of The Tsai Leadership Program at Yale Law School, visited Washington, D.C., to meet with leaders in federal, state, and local government.

The January trip was designed to give students insight into a wide range of career paths in public service, said Margie Adler, executive director of the Ludwig Program.

Many Law School students are interested in careers in the federal government, Adler said, and the trip provided opportunities to hear from alumni and others who have chosen that path. This year, the trip also gave students a look at additional public service career options.

“Part of the goal of the Ludwig Program is to illuminate the many other paths a law degree can lead to,” she said. “This trip gave students the opportunity to get a glimpse into local government, elected office, the private sector, and think tanks, for example, and to expand their aspirations for their own careers.”

Students kicked off the first full day by meeting with Joshua Geltzer ’11, a former national security lawyer for the White House and now a partner at WilmerHale.

Kate Ahrens smiles at Mark Stevens as he speaks to students
Kate Ahrens '27 (left) moderated a discussion with Mark Stevens '21, an attorney-adviser at the State Department. 

In the afternoon, students met with several Law School alumni from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Erin Biel ’18, Kate Hadley ’13, and Juan Millan ’96 shared their experiences at the agency, which is responsible for developing and promoting U.S. foreign trade policies.

Later in the day, students met with Karen Dunn ’06 and Jeannie Rhee ’97, founding partners of the boutique litigation firm Dunn Isaacson Rhee, who have had diverse careers spanning all three branches of federal government.

Hearing from Dunn and Rhee was a highlight of the trip for Hannah Terrapin ’26. “It’s inspiring to see two women who have taken their Yale Law School degrees and transformed them into powerful careers in both the public and private sectors,” she said.

“Not only are they powerhouse attorneys, but it was clear they enjoy what they do. Their passion for their work infected everyone on the trip, and we all left feeling more optimistic than when we arrived,” she added.

“A career can take so many directions”

Students began the second day by meeting with Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) at his Capitol Hill office, followed by a session with Betsy Cavendish ’03, general counsel to Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. 

In the afternoon, students heard from Josh Rubin ’20, senior vice president of global strategy at the Motion Picture Association of America, who previously served as an advisor at the National Security Council and the U.S. State Department. 

Danielle Hopkins ’26 said that learning about Rubin’s career was a memorable part of the trip. “I really enjoyed seeing how YLS graduates have taken such diverse career paths in the same city,” she said. Exposure to the variety of careers that graduates can pursue is one of the benefits of the Ludwig program, Hopkins added. 

Geoffrey Starks smiles as he speaks to students, while two student moderators look on.
Geoffrey Starks '08 (right), former commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission, shared his insights in a session moderated by Bryce Morales '26 (left) and Riler Holcombe '26.

“The program is helping me see that a career can take so many directions and that you should welcome flexibility in your goals,” she said. “I love learning about where the alumni and speakers thought they would be, and where they ended up. It’s allowing me to think more expansively about my own future, which I deeply appreciate.”

Students wrapped up the second day at a reception with Stephen Hadley ’72, former national security advisor to President George W. Bush, hosted by Gene Ludwig ’73, former comptroller of the currency and the founder of the Ludwig Program.

The final day included meetings with Mark Stevens ’21, an attorney-adviser at the State Department; Geoffrey Starks ’08, former commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission; and Alexander Mechanick ’20, a senior policy analyst at the Niskanen Center, a think tank.

Terrapin said the Ludwig Program has helped her understand that legal careers can be long and varied. “As a first-generation college graduate, looking to the future is a source of both excitement and anxiety,” she said.  

“Before the Ludwig Program, I felt as if I needed to have everything planned out. The program has introduced me to so many impressive alumni who didn’t have everything figured out when they graduated,” she said. “They’ve taught me that, as the world shifts around us, Yale Law School prepares us to shift with it. Remembering your core values and serving where you are needed will always keep you on the right path.”