Angeli Patel

• School of International Affairs

• B.S. INTA 2014

After graduating from Georgia Tech, Angeli Patel become an NSF CyberCorps Fellow and interned at the White House. This eventually led her to a full-time position as Presidential Appointee at White House in the Office of Management and Budget. She stayed with the Administration until the very end. After that, Angeli worked with the Chilean Government in their Ministry of Finance advising them on technology policy. She graduated from Berkeley Law in May 2020 and now works for Jones Day as a law clerk.

How did Tech and/or the Nunn School help you get where you are in your career?

Georgia Tech provided me with the ability to be a bridge between the technology/science world and policy. I was an asset to every government organization I worked with because of my ability to understand novel policy issues arising from technological change. I benefitted greatly from the Nunn School's spontaneous and curious approach international studies. I wasn't like the other International Affairs majors. I had a whole different world-view to offer.

What has been a particular impact of studying International Affairs at Tech on your career?

Every time I am in a room filled with tech experts or legal experts, my international affairs knowledge always helps me stand out and see issues from a global perspective. This is often a lens that is missing from conversations and decisions. Though I don't work specifically on international issues, every issue in law and technology has a counterpart in the international sphere.

How do you think your internship experience(s) helped you with your career endeavors?

Internships were invaluable for me. They helped me build relationships with mentors, define my interests and refine my professional skills. The more I did, the better I got. It also helped me really understand what I wanted to do after graduating and helped me hit the ground running.

What advice would you give current students at the Nunn School?

One really important think I have learned over the past few years is the importance of mentors. My mentors have given me the confidence and direction I've needed when trying to make decisions. Every student should seek to have at least one mentor that they can rely on for advice.