MSIM ‘24 graduate Adrian Lavergne was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF) finalist. Until recently, the PMF was a prestigious leadership development program for advanced degree holders, offering a pathway into careers in the federal government. 

Lavergne’s interest in public service was shaped early in life – his father served in the Air Force, and he later followed a similar path by joining the U.S. Army. While studying law and policy as an undergraduate, he was deployed in the Middle East for a year. When he returned to complete his bachelor's degree, Lavergne knew he wanted to get a tech master’s, leading him to the iSchool where he earned his Master of Science in Information Management.

“I was particularly interested in anything to do with human-computer interaction,” Lavergne said. “I took all the courses for this that I could find. I ended up studying abroad through the iSchool for human robot interaction in Japan [and] I sort of became really into AI research.”

The PMF fellowship offered a two-year full-time federal job, which could ultimately lead to pursuing a career in government. For fellows, this employment opportunity also created an extensive network of current PMF and alumni. A February 2025 executive order from President Trump ended the program.

While the PMF offered an opportunity to work in the federal government, Lavergne decided instead to take his talents to Adora, an AI startup based in Seattle.

Now as an AI operations specialist, he researches AI models and develops implementation strategies for Adora. He credits his time at the iSchool, particularly his work in AI research with Professor Chirag Shah, with exposing him to a broad range of topics.

“The world as I saw it was changing so rapidly technologically,” Lavergne said. “I didn't want to rob myself of being in the middle of that and knowing as much as I could, learning as much as I could and being able to adapt to the new technological waves that are consistently coming.”

The decision between public and private sector work wasn’t easy, especially given the competitiveness of the PMF program. However, through his time at the iSchool, Lavergne gained the clarity he needed to pursue the private sector.

Lavergne isn’t the first iSchool graduate to receive the PMF. MSIM ‘21 graduate Devin Barich was also awarded the fellowship and has been working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a contract specialist since 2022. 

While he didn’t initially pursue the PMF with public health in mind, the CDC mission aligned with a longstanding personal passion and influence from a family of healthcare professionals who instilled a mission in making the world a safer, healthier place.

“I'm excited about public health and societal health and reducing pain and chaos everywhere,” Barich said. “The way I was going about that initially was diving headfirst into food. I attended culinary school and cooked in professional kitchens around Seattle, because I think that food and nutrition are a good baseline way to maintain the health of any society.”

Lavergne and Barich’s experiences showcase the diverse opportunities that were available to PMF finalists — whether in public service or the private sector. While Lavergne chose to pursue AI research in the tech industry, Barich is committed to federal service, mentoring a new generation of fellows during a time of uncertainty in government careers.

For those considering federal employment, Barich encourages them not to be deterred by the current climate.

“If you were somebody who believed in the resiliency of the federal government or public service, now is the time to double down on that choice, not the time to pivot,” Barich said.

Despite the challenges, he sees opportunity in moments of change. He urges new talent to step up, ensuring that public service continues to uphold its core mission.

“It does take a new generation of people coming in, clear-eyed and focused on the respect for the rule of law to keep us on the same path … a path that doesn't reduce the civil rights of other Americans,” Barich said. “I would want more people to take the challenge of a career in civil service. It can be intimidating to join the federal government, but it is super rewarding.”