For many in the Washington, DC, region, public service is more than a career. It is a calling. 

In early 2025, that calling was abruptly disrupted when the Trump administration dismantled the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), leaving nearly 20,000 federal workers without jobs. For many, the announcement arrived suddenly and without warning, sending shockwaves through the federal workforce and the communities built around it. 

For two American University alumnae, the moment marked the end of long careers in international development. It also sparked the start of something entirely new. 

Both are now running for public office for the first time. 

Careers Built on Service 

For Allison Eriksen, SIS/MA ’16, public service began overseas. 

After graduating from college, she joined the Peace Corps and moved to Tanzania, unsure of exactly where her career might lead. 

“I was right out of college, and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” she says. “I thought joining the Peace Corps would buy me some time and help me figure out my career path.” 

Instead, it gave her clarity. Living and working within a local community reshaped her worldview and revealed the importance of relationship-building and locally driven solutions. 

She returned to Washington, DC, to pursue a master’s degree in international development at AU’s School of International Service. Soon after, she began what would become nearly a decade of work at USAID, supporting humanitarian response efforts in regions affected by conflict and natural disasters, including Syria. 

Her newest USAID contract began in December 2024. 

Just weeks later, the agency was dismantled. 

Eriksen learned about the end of her role through an email. 

“I was in disbelief,” Eriksen recalls. “I didn’t think this was something they could do. And I thought it was something someone would realize had to be undone.”

A Lifelong Goal, Suddenly Gone  

For Tracy Starr, SPA/BA ’04, the path to public service began much earlier. 

Growing up in a single-parent household with two sisters, Starr says she learned early the importance of helping others. 

During the 2000 presidential election, she found herself working on Al Gore’s campaign, an experience that sparked a lasting interest in politics. She later enrolled at AU’s School of Public Affairs, where she interned on Capitol Hill and gained firsthand exposure to how government operates. 

“Working on Capitol Hill allowed me to become familiar with the federal system,” Starr says. “But I knew I didn’t want to stay on the Hill.” 

Her goal was USAID. 

After years of applications and interviews, Starr finally secured a position with the agency’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, focusing on work in Africa. 

Four weeks later, she was out of a job. 

“Imagine working your whole life for something and having it taken from you,” she says. “Working at USAID was my dream. And when it was so brutally taken away, it was the saddest moment of my life.” 

Turning Frustration into Action

Like thousands of other federal workers in the DC–Maryland–Virginia region, Eriksen and Starr suddenly found themselves grappling with an uncertain future. 

Both also found themselves asking the same question: what happens next? 

For them, the answer became politics. 

Both Maryland residents, Eriksen and Starr have launched first-time campaigns for office in the 2026 midterm elections. 

Eriksen is running for the Montgomery County Council’s District 3 seat, a decision she says grew out of the advocacy work she and other displaced federal workers began doing on Capitol Hill after the shutdown. 

“I didn’t see our elected leaders acting with the kind of urgency that I’d been trained to act with in my work,” she says. “And I realized that if I wanted to see change, local government was where I could make the biggest difference for my community.” 

Starr is running for Congress in Maryland’s Fifth Congressional District, driven by what she describes as a lack of response from lawmakers during the fallout from the agency’s closure. 

“It’s time to bring the legislator and the legislation back to the people of this district,” Starr says. “I’m doing this for my community and for my kids. This campaign isn’t about me.” 

They are not alone. As of early 2026, dozens of former federal employees across the country have begun exploring political campaigns of their own, suggesting a ripple effect from the upheaval within the federal workforce. 

New Candidates, Familiar Purpose 

Running for office has come with its own challenges. Neither Eriksen nor Starr previously worked within local party systems, meaning they have had to build networks and campaign infrastructure from scratch. 

“As candidates, we’ve been completely disconnected from local politics and the party system,” Eriksen says. “To make progress, we’ve had to share resources and learn quickly.” 

Still, both say their campaigns are rooted in the same motivations that drew them to public service in the first place. 

Eriksen’s platform focuses on supporting displaced federal workers, strengthening disaster preparedness, and improving public safety in Montgomery County. 

Starr is campaigning on rebuilding trust in American institutions and advocating for policies she believes better reflect the needs of everyday residents. 

“I’m fighting for the voice of my community,” Starr says. “I’m not afraid to speak up and use the voice I have to advocate for others.” 

An AU Foundation 

Both candidates credit their time at American University with helping shape the perspectives that guide their work today. 

“The foundation I gained at AU gave me a broad perspective of the world and allowed me to experience different cultures, religions, and ways of life,” Eriksen says. 

For Starr, studying in Washington, DC, offered a front-row seat to the mechanics of government. 

“Being in DC during my college years was everything,” she says. “AU helped me really understand politics, foreign affairs, and legislation. I’m able to apply all of that now.” 

Their careers in federal service may have ended abruptly, but their commitment to public service has not. 

Now, they hope to carry that mission into elected office. 

If you know other AU alumnae currently holding office in a public service role, please submit their information at [email protected].