T O D A Y - Berwick Academy

An Interview with anAlum: Tiernen
Making a Difference at the State Department
Miller Donald ‘95
40
How long were you at BA
I started in the fifth grade and went all the way through
to twelfth grade.
Outside of academics, how did you spend your time
at BA
I played a lot of tennis, worked on the yearbook, and
started a program for students to visit residents of the
nursing home in South Berwick. We even had the
residents visit the school one day.
What did you do after BA
I went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
where I majored in political science. After graduating,
I went to work in Washington, DC, on Capitol Hill,
fi rst for the House Committee on Financial Services
and then for the Committee on Foreign Affairs, where
I specialized in Asia and was fortunate enough to travel
to Japan.
You still work in DC. You must
like it there.
I love it, but I do miss the
Seacoast. I recommend [working
on the Hill] to everyone from
new college graduates to adults.
You get a great perspective on
how DC really works, and you
meet a lot of different people.
The Hill gives you a great chance
to network and figure out what
you want to do. If you can prove
yourself and you get a reputation
as being capable, you can move
on to almost anything.
What are you currently doing
Now I work at the State
Department as the Special Advisor for Congressional
Relations for the Offi ce of Iraq.
Does that mean you work for Hillary Clinton
Technically, yes, but Secretary Clinton isn’t my direct
supervisor, of course.
How do you spend your work day
The easiest way to describe it is to say that half my
day is spent talking to the Hill about Iraq, and the
other half is spent advising State Department officials
about working with the Hill. For example, the times
Ambassador Crocker and General Petraeus testified
to Congress, I was responsible for making sure the
Ambassador was fully prepared for the hearings.
Were you on TV
Yes, I was sitting behind the Ambassador.
Did you always want to work on the Hill
When I was in high school, I had absolutely no idea
what I wanted to do for a career. I just knew I wanted
to do something. BA was a great launching pad for me,
and I was so fortunate to have had it.
What is the worst part of your job
Sometimes things are out of our hands and in the
hands of Congress, and waiting for Congress to act on
legislation can be frustrating.
What are you most proud of
Knowing that I am helping to effect change in the world
is personally fulfilling. Regardless of your personal
opinion on the war in Iraq,
our country is involved.
Our soldiers and civilians
are risking their lives every
day, and I am proud to
be able to play a part, no
matter how small, and
make a difference.
How did BA prepare you
for your current position
BA encouraged my love of
reading, which I do a lot of
in my job—briefs, budgets,
testimony, articles—I am
reading all the time. I
also learned how to write
well at BA, and when I
am not reading at work, I
am usually writing or editing. Most importantly, BA
taught me to open my eyes to the world around me, ask
questions, and pay attention. I was fortunate to have
some really great teachers. Mrs. Field, Mrs. Dean, Mrs.
Payzant and Mr. Downey were all terrifi c. Mr. Sullivan
was amazing, and I still consider him the best teacher
I ever had.
Would you consider coming back to BA to speak to Mr.
Sullivan’s class
I don’t know; he would probably yell at me for missing
an assignment 15 years ago. Plus, I don’t think I can
talk to Mr. Sullivan’s class about history. I think he’s got
that covered!