Dr. Maya Shankar

In fact, I probably got maybe 35, maybe 50 proposals in the door because people were so excited to meet their intellectual heroes, right?

In fact, I probably got maybe 35, maybe 50 proposals in the door because people were so excited to meet their intellectual heroes, right?

Like Danny and Richard and have them evaluate their proposals.

Like Danny and Richard and have them evaluate their proposals.

But also just creating a deadline of any kind was very motivating for folks.

But also just creating a deadline of any kind was very motivating for folks.

And

And

Those wins ultimately generated the kind of argument that I needed to get buy-in from government agencies to actually give me headcount, to help give me a budget, ultimately build the argument for President Obama to sign an executive order that made my team a formal, persistent part of government.

Those wins ultimately generated the kind of argument that I needed to get buy-in from government agencies to actually give me headcount, to help give me a budget, ultimately build the argument for President Obama to sign an executive order that made my team a formal, persistent part of government.

I mean, it was definitely, it was so much hard work.

I mean, it was definitely, it was so much hard work.

And I will say that the failure rate was extremely high.

And I will say that the failure rate was extremely high.

You know, for every hundred conversations I had, maybe we get one project over the finish line.

You know, for every hundred conversations I had, maybe we get one project over the finish line.

But in looking back, I will say that

But in looking back, I will say that

There were so many times that I wished challah that like Obama would just step in and be like, y'all need to do this because my life would be so much easier.

There were so many times that I wished challah that like Obama would just step in and be like, y'all need to do this because my life would be so much easier.