Teddy Quinn ‘10 is a Communications Specialist at the National Labor Relations Board. They are in charge of all things digital communications at the Agency, which ensures that workers’ rights are protected in this country. Previous to their role at the NLRB, they were the Digital Communications Manager at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities — a DC-based think tank working to influence federal and state anti-poverty legislation. They attended the University of San Francisco, where they majored in Media Studies and worked as a public radio journalist during that time period before moving into the non-profit space in Washington, DC, after graduation in 2013. While they were at the Center on Budget, they became involved in organizing a union and eventually helped negotiate the first contract and served as Head of Communications and a steward during their six-year tenure at the Center. This experience showed them the power of a union and worker solidarity, making the NLRB the perfect next step in their career.
Each January, HPA convenes a panel of graduates to share advice and stories about life after HPA with our seniors. This Q&A occurred during our Young Alumni Day 2023.
What was your favorite part of your HPA experience? What made it so unique?
Outdoor Programs as a boarder was incredible. So was the Turtle Tagging Program. Those experiences are so few and far between in adulthood, let me tell you — no one plans whale-watching excursions for you once you’re out of high school! Beyond that, HPA was really the first place where I felt I had community and ʻohana, and I think it was the first place that actually saw me as who I was as an individual, and to be able to have that space at such a young age, I think really set me up for success later on.
What key piece of advice would you give your senior self?
Be kind. Kindness will get you so much farther than almost anything else. Kindness and passion are the two biggest things I think you can take out of HPA into the real world.
How did you figure out what you wanted to do as a career?
I tried to be a journalist when I entered college, and I did a lot of journalism, but I learned pretty quickly, especially in San Francisco, it was very hard to pay the bills as a starting journalist, and it got to the point where I couldn’t so I had to pivot, and I wound up in Washington, DC. I started working in communications for non-profits and government agencies. Now, I get to do really important work with really great people, so I’m really happy with where I ended up — but the only reason why I ended up where I did is that I tried and I failed, and the failure is not failure, it’s just lessons learned. Take your time with it, and it will come to you. You just have to go out there and try a bunch of different things.
How did your time at HPA help to prepare/impact you for your current career?
HPA fostered my creativity. To be able to work in what is a really creative field — I don’t think that would have happened without HPA’s teacher and peer-supportive environment. I can’t tell you how many people from HPA have reached out via LinkedIn, and I’ve tried to help as many of them as possible. Absolutely lean on the HPA network.