Minnesota North Commencement Address

President Raich, Vice President Johnson, administrators, faculty, and students, I'm delighted to speak with all of you today and share a few experiences from my career that began on the Iron Range.

I've worked for two presidents, flown on Air Force 1, managed some of the most catastrophic disasters of our time...and I got my start at a two-year school—right here at Minnesota North College .

I've worked hard, sure, but I've also had my fair share of luck along the way.

My background

Northern Minnesota

Nearly 30 years ago—that makes me feel really old saying that—in 1995, I was in high school here in Virginia and decided it was time to act on my childhood dream of becoming a firefighter. Unfortunately, I wasn't quite 18 then, which was the legal age to volunteer, so I asked around to see what I could do in the meantime. I learned I could take college credits here at Minnesota North (which we then called "Mesabi").

I found various classes to take here, including band, by the way. One of those classes was the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course. So, I signed up for the course, and I was off!

Well, there were a few other minor details, like the course was actually taught in Tower. I also learned that simply getting my EMT certification wouldn't give me the array of career opportunities I sought; that would take a degree and some experience.

At any rate, taking the class confirmed for me that this was something I wanted to do. So, the day I turned 18, I showed up at the Pike-Sandy-Britt Volunteer Fire Department, and soon thereafter, I became an EMT in Eveleth. Laura Korpi, the Eveleth Ambulance Director at the time, is here today in her capacity as an instructor for the EMS program at the college. Hey Laura, it's good to see you.

Those were the days…ones that I remember fondly growing up on the Range and learning from mentors like Laura, both in the classroom and in the field.

I had also worked at the old Lind's Amoco in town and enjoyed it, so much so that I had planned to enroll in the automotive technician program in Eveleth. But now, I thought I'd like to build on my EMT skills and begin the paramedic program. I also stumbled upon an EMS management program at a four-year school in Washington, DC, and applied there as well.

Washington, DC

I'm convinced that I was accepted to the EMS Management program at George Washington University because of the classroom and field experience that the EMT course afforded me.

Little did I know that Washington, DC, would be my home for the next several decades.

After college, I began working on Capitol Hill, and on the morning of September 11, 2001, I looked up at the TV. Like the rest of the world, I was shocked to see live footage of an aircraft striking the World Trade Center. At that moment, I knew the world had changed forever, and so would my career trajectory.

You see, I had spent the previous couple of years working for members of Congress, developing policy proposals and implementing federal programs to prepare the nation's first responders for catastrophic terrorist attacks. And now, such an attack had just occurred.

Soon after that, I went to work at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), for the first time. Then, I decided to pursue a PhD in public policy and returned to George Washington University.

The White House

Now it's 2005, and I'm at my desk at the university. My phone rings. "Hi, this is the White House scheduler. Would you be available to meet with the President's Homeland Security Advisor?"

I soon learned this would be a job interview. As I entered the West Wing for the first time, I felt my chest tighten with the realization that this would likely be the most consequential job interview of my life.

A few weeks later, I joined the White House staff as Director of Response Policy, and a mere three weeks after, Hurricane Katrina came ashore on the Gulf Coast. There I was, a 27-year-old, now helping to advise the President during one of the most devastating disasters of our time.

FEMA

Fast-forward a decade, I received a similar out-of-the-blue call a day after the 2016 election. This time, the President-elect's staff asked me to lead the FEMA transition team.

One thing led to another, and there I was, in August 2017, testifying before the United States Senate at my confirmation hearing to become the Deputy Administrator of FEMA. Three days later, Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico, leaving mass destruction in its wake.

So yes, I started my crisis management jobs in government three weeks before Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and three days before Hurricane Maria in 2017. That's called bad luck. However, I did earn the moniker "Disaster Dan" from President Bush (he had nicknames for everyone).

I've worked in government for two presidents and six secretaries of homeland security. I've also worked in academia, the non-profit and for-profit sectors, where I've taught, studied, and spoken on topics in my field of emergency management.

I've also represented the US Government at international bodies such as NATO and the UN. And let me tell you, there's nothing quite like sitting in front of a nameplate inscribed in all caps: UNITED STATES and speaking on behalf of our government on the world stage.

Disaster hits close to home.

There are many stories I could tell you from all the disasters I have since been a part of, but so I don't keep you here all night, perhaps the one most relevant to us here in Minnesota is when the I-35W bridge collapsed in 2007. Some of you may be old enough to remember that.

I was at the White House when my desk phone rang. The phone display flashed "OVAL OFFICE." Oh boy. I steeled myself. In those few seconds, I gathered my thoughts, assuming it would be a request for an update on the situation. Instead, it was one of the President's advisors "phoning a friend" (me) because another advisor had told the President that the now-collapsed bridge had connected Minneapolis with Saint Paul.

President Bush urgently wanted to know if he needed to call both mayors.?

As a Ranger who wasn't as familiar with interstates as he was with snowmobile trails, I did what any native Minnesotan in the White House would do: I called my mother.

After my mom told me that the bridge connected Minneapolis with another part of Minneapolis (not Saint Paul), I called the Oval Office and shared the definitive word. When asked whether I was sure, I said, "Yeah, my mom was certain of it."

A few days later, I flew to Minneapolis on AF1 with the President to survey the damage.

Increase your surface area for luck

Now that you know my personal story and how I ended up here today, what bits of wisdom can I share?

As I mentioned, it took some hard work that each of you can appreciate, having reached this stage of your academic journey. But it also takes some luck—or, as was the case several times in my career, just simply being in the wrong place at the right time.

So, while you might think luck is inherently random and out of your control, I'd like to convince you that it's a lot more malleable than you might think.

Have you ever heard the phrase "increase the surface area for luck"?

James Clear, the author of the book Atomic Habits, shares how you can increase your surface area for good luck by taking action:

The forager who explores widely will find lots of useless terrain, but is also more likely to stumble across a bountiful berry patch than the person who stays home.

Similarly, the person who works hard, pursues opportunity, and tries more things is more likely to stumble across a lucky break than the person who waits.

Experience

So, although I couldn't have predicted my future, with its inevitable ups and downs, after I finished my classes here, I worked hard early in my career by taking action and pursuing every opportunity to contribute to my field.

Gary Player, the famous golfer and winner of nine major championships, has said, “The harder I practice, the luckier I get.”

Then came the call from the White House and later FEMA. These happened in a way I couldn't have ever predicted. Those are the jobs where they say, "Don't call us, we'll call you."

Networking and mentors

To get yourself known within your industry, engage with those already in the industry. This is what you may know as networking. In DC, this might mean attending a reception hosted by an organization or company in your industry. If cocktail attire isn't your thing, then you can find other places where those from your industry gather. I'm familiar with a couple of local watering holes around here…

You should seek out a handful of those you meet in your industry for more regular interactions. These individuals could become your mentors. I greatly benefited from mentors along the way. At every twist and turn in my career, I had mentors willing to guide me along the path.

One of those was Laura, and I know I wouldn't be where I am today without her and my many other mentors on the Iron Range. I will always be grateful to them.

So, I encourage you to meet as many people in your industry as possible, keep in touch with the instructors, bosses, and others who helped you get to where you are today, and seek their counsel about what you might do next. Or, like me, keep in touch with them for 30 years along your entire journey—because you never know when you'll need a helping hand, a bit of sage advice, or just a friend.

Conclusion

Now that I've offered my thoughts, we're one step further in the program—and you're one step closer to graduating and, soon, one step further down a successful and fulfilling career path.

Thank you.