Background: Executive director, City Year Rhode Island; founder, Democracy Compact, a voter education program.

Why I got into public service:

Top Issue: Providing a quality public education is the best way to ensure opportunities for our children. To start, we need inspired teachers, small classes, and safe schools. We also need to teach civic values and encourage civic participation so children learn to give something back to their communities.

Guiding Value: Politics is about solving people's problems. In the day-to-day struggle to get things done, politicians can lose sight of that. I try hard to keep my eyes on the prize and ask myself often: "What did I do today to make life better for people?"

#1 Rule of Politics: The greatest resource we have in our country is the talent and energy of our citizens. In spite of all the political and bureaucratic barriers we face, when we bring good, talented, energetic people together to work toward a common goal, we can accomplish extraordinary things.

First Job: Dishwasher.