Zach Friend

Current position and employer: County Supervisor (Elected), County of Santa Cruz

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Current City: Aptos, CA

Why did you choose McCourt? Washington, DC is the heart of policy making and Georgetown is one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Combined, it is the perfect place to immerse in policy studies.

What was the best part of your experience with McCourt? The size of the program, combined with access to top-notch practitioners, allowed for practical and actionable experiences. Overall, the ability to work in the White House and on the Hill—in both policy and political arenas – became possible because of the location and prestige of the program. I’ve taken what I’ve learned (from policy analysis to in-depth practicum work) to help me as an elected official and previously as an advisor to campaigns and electeds.

Undergraduate university, degree, and major: University of California, Santa Cruz, BA in History

Hobbies/ Interests: Music, history, reading