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Golf wasn’t something on my radar growing up in Stockton, Calif., in a part of the city that has struggled with crime. I aspired to work in local government, where I could help my community – a goal I achieved after becoming a first-generation college graduate with a degree from Sacramento State.
My golf story begins soon afterward. The pandemic made me rethink my career path, and I decided to pursue a master’s degree in sport management at the University of San Francisco. I learned about the USGA’s Pathways Internship Program (then called the Lee Elder Internship) during that time and was fortunate to be one of 20 selected for the inaugural class. The chance to spend over a week at the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline and see the opportunities that existed in the game was eye-opening; it changed the trajectory of my life. For the first time, I saw working in golf as an option.
Two years later, I’ve been able to combine my passion for local government and advocacy with my new passion for golf in a public affairs role with the Southern California Golf Association. I get to assist members, member clubs, and municipal courses while advocating for the game. Where golf and public policy intersect, we’re there.
I’m excited to see the third class of Pathways interns gather at this year’s U.S. Open in Pinehurst, N.C., where they’ll get the chance to recognize new potential within themselves. I now understand the important role that golf can play to provide recreational, economic, and career opportunities. I am determined to be a champion for those originating from similar backgrounds as mine, ensuring golf becomes an accessible option for them, as it did for me.