friend of mine, someone who's been a colleague, and, you know, a mentor throughout the years, stephanie valenciasaid, you know, "i've been given the opportunity to step into a deputy role in the office of public engagement," and she said, "i think you should apply for my position." so i was taken aback. i mean, never in my mind was this, sort of, even something that was a realm of possibility for me, not because i didn't, sort of, see it as just really something to aspire to, but it was just--it wasn't in my realm of even thinking, and so, when i got that call, i was, of course, you know, really taken aback and immediately said, "of course, i would, you know, welcome the opportunity to interview and to, you know, at least be able to demonstrate what i could bring to the team here at the white house," and so i actually interviewed in this office, and it was almost ten years to the day, maybe about nine and a half years, that, then, i occupied the office as the director of intergovernmental affairs, and i will never forget that day when i came in. i was sitting across the table from stephanie, cec