BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Annie Lewis, head of North America government, politics and advocacy advertising at Facebook
How/where are you celebrating your birthday and with whom? “I’ll be celebrating with my sister Elizabeth Lewis and her husband Dave Fahrenthold at St. Anselm. Dave’s birthday is tomorrow, so we have a family tradition of joint birthday festivities.”
How did you get your start in your career? “As an intern on the 2002 Romney gubernatorial campaign. I was lucky to learn from so many greats -- Beth Myers, Ben Coes, Risa Kaplan, Kelt Kindick, Spencer Zwick, Brad Crate, Dean Serpa. Josh Barro and Ryan Williams were fantastic fellow interns.”
What’s an interesting book/article you’re reading now or you’ve recently finished? And why? “I’ve just finished ‘The Likeability Trap’ by the amazing Alicia Menendez. Alicia examines the conflicting dynamics of likeability and authenticity in the workplace -- how to balance being ourselves, wanting to be liked, while also being taken seriously. For royal history aficionados, ‘The Quest for Queen Mary’ was another favorite 2019 read -- an eclectic set of notes and zany observations from her official biographer’s research into her life, many of which could not be included in the rather staid official biography.”
What’s a trend going on in the U.S. or abroad that doesn’t get enough attention? “I think not enough people are aware that across the country, universities are restricting basic student freedoms in an effort to impose a uniform system of values and beliefs. For example, in a move that is completely out of step with the spirit of the First Amendment, Harvard has instituted a policy of sanctions against students who join women’s and men’s social clubs. That policy is being challenged in state and federal courts as unlawfully discriminatory. And in the House, a bipartisan group -- including Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) -- is driving legislative efforts to protect freedom of association on college campuses.”
How’s the Trump presidency going? “It’s keeping family dinners lively!”
What’s a fun fact that people in Washington might not know about you? “In college, I studied medieval history with a focus on the Celtic realm -- this surely deepened my appreciation for modern technology and communication tools!”
