Leveraging Policy for Possibility
How Rory Linehan’s Leap Across Borders Redefined Career, Belonging, and Success
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What were you doing when you realized you needed a change?
I was originally hired to work on trade policy and landed in the Australian Embassy in D.C. in June 2015. This was at a time when the U.S. was leading efforts to conclude the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). I worked closely on that agreement and broader trade policy for my first year in the U.S. However, once the Trump Administration took office, it became clear the U.S. would withdraw from the TPP, and the trade was not going to win friends with the new Administration. The Ambassador at the time asked me to manage a newly established infrastructure unit at the Embassy, as a way to cultivate more positive diplomatic engagement. I didn’t know much about infrastructure, but I learned a lot and enjoyed the opportunity to expand my horizons.
What was the moment you realized you were ready to walk away from your government job?
They say necessity is the mother of all inventions, and that’s where my pivot came from. I was working for the Australian Government at the Embassy in D.C. when I married my ex-husband, an active duty member of the U.S. Marine Corps. I knew that I would need to leave the Australian foreign service to build a life with him in the U.S. I put together a plan and started enacting it. The first step of the plan was to study and earn my master’s degree. In Australia, master’s degrees are generally not required, unless the role is highly specialized. In D.C., every 25-year-old graduate hitting the market has one. I leveraged an Embassy-funded scholarship to increase my market competitiveness over two years. Shortly thereafter, I made the move to the U.S. private sector, ditching my diplomatic visa and moving to a work visa before earning my green card.
What did it take emotionally to choose a life in the U.S., and what fears tagged along for the ride?
I only intended to be in the U.S. for 3-4 years. I have a large, tight-knit family back in Australia. They all live within 10 square miles of each other and get together each week for a family dinner. The hardest part about the transition to living here permanently was the opportunity cost of missing time with my aging parents, my siblings, and my growing nieces and nephews. That said, I am a very determined and goal-oriented person. I was able to lean into the kindness and generosity of the many kind and wonderful people here in D.C. and across the U.S. to build community and help mitigate some of these feelings. I made a mental commitment to get back to Australia every year (which I have, even during COVID) to see them. Finally, I am so lucky that people generally respond well to Australians in the U.S. That made it easy for me to continue to be myself, share my culture and background, and, similarly, to learn so much from the people I’ve met along the way.
How did your sense of identity shift when you joined a completely different professional system?
I’m not sure my sense of identity has shifted. I’ve always been clear about who I am and what impact I want to make. Because I’ve spent my whole career working internationally and with different cultures, I’ve learned how to find ways for win-win outcomes that tap into our respective collective backgrounds and strengths without changing them. The challenge I had moving to the U.S. private sector was adjusting to the nuance of that culture. A good example is with annual leave provisions. It was hard to adjust to only getting two weeks of annual leave and a handful of holidays. That just doesn’t make sense to me. People need time off to rest, recover, spend time with loved ones, and navigate the unexpected challenges of adulthood. I never accepted this, and it was always so frustrating to try and budget such paltry leave with the culture of people not taking the little leave they have.
Was there a point early on when you questioned if you’d made the right move? What was that like?
Yes, when I was laid off from my first private-sector job. My entire unit was disbanded after corporate restructuring. It hurt because I had been working overtime to build business and had achieved some huge, impactful results. But by the time we were notified, there were only two weeks until we were laid off, not enough time to argue my case or even pivot to somewhere else within the business. I remember feeling so angry and frustrated at the injustice of it all. In that moment, I questioned whether I should have left the stability and opportunities I had within the Australian Government. The 4-month period between being laid off and finding a new job taught me a lot about myself. I had to grow through the pain. At some moments, I thought I would never find a new job. Fortunately, I landed a role that was even better suited to my skills and the impact I want to make through my work.
What did the process of gaining a second citizenship stir up for you in terms of belonging, loyalty, or home?
The overarching feeling I had was relief. However, it is really challenging to navigate the U.S. immigration system, particularly at times when it has been underfunded, the government has been shut down, and the backlog of cases is so high. I remember vividly having to negotiate with my future employer to extend my job offer during the transition between my work visa and green card, because I legally couldn’t work. Legally, you should be issued a temporary work authorization within three months of the green card application while your case is processed. Getting a temporary work authorization took me over 6 months and meant I couldn’t work during this period. That period was deeply stressful, because my new employer almost pulled my job offer. Once I received my citizenship, I experienced relief. Relief that I would never again have to be held in limbo like that for something outside of my control. I also experienced gratitude because so many other immigrants haven’t been as fortunate as I.
I feel proud and lucky to be both Australian and American. There is so much that both cultures have taught me. Having exposure to both countries has honed my strengths and made me a more well-rounded person. I regularly draw on both cultures to help me grow and evolve.
What surprised you most about working in the U.S after building a career with the Australian government?
The U.S. is the world’s largest economy and (arguably) biggest cultural power and norm-setter. As a result, the impact of our work ripples across the world. Growing up in Australia’s capital city, Canberra, I had a front-row seat to the lack of ambition and opportunity that the Australian Government has to make an impact on the world. To be clear, there are many avenues that the Australian Government and people pursue to make a global impact, but they simply pale in comparison to the opportunities, ambition, and reach of U.S. Government and private sector efforts.
One of the biggest honors of my career has been working at the G20 Global Infrastructure Hub, alongside U.S. Government colleagues. Not only because they were some of the smartest, most generous, and impact-driven of all G20 bureaucrats, but also because, when they supported our work, the rest of the G20 stood up and took notice. We were able to help get more infrastructure investment into developing countries because of U.S. leadership and support. Something I am extremely proud of and humbled to have been included in.
Were there moments when the transition felt like a superpower and other times when it felt like baggage?
Oh yes! I often feel like a fish out of water. Like, I didn’t quite belong in a given space. It can be hard to connect with people when you didn’t grow up with the same TV shows, same music, same politicians, or same geography. That makes it a challenge to build the very necessary bonds you need to create with your colleagues and bosses at work.
Similarly, working internationally has meant that I can often see solutions to problems that those without experience in different cultures and different perspectives cannot. Although trying to get people on board for those solutions when they haven’t seen them enacted can be a challenge!
What coping strategies, community anchors, or personal practices helped you adapt without losing yourself in the process?
I have a few go-to strategies, but the reality is that I don’t practice any of these consistently enough. This is something I am working on.
I chat with my family every week. My family grounds me, gives me support, and allows me to support them in ways that feel uplifting and enriching.
I joined a kickball league. I’d never played kickball before, and not only was it fun, but I also met some of my best friends here through that community.
I listen to and watch a blend of U.S. and Australian media. I keep up to date with geopolitical issues on both sides of the Pacific and feel connected to both countries by doing this.
I make time for meditation, exercise, philosophy, and spirituality.
I eat well. My health has been up and down the past 10 years. When I eat well, I find that I am more balanced and better equipped to navigate the ups and downs of any given day.
How do you stay clear on your core values and principles when the professional context keeps changing?
At the end of the day, all we have are our values and principles. When we act against them, we hurt ourselves as much as we hurt others. Both of those outcomes are ones I want to avoid.
I’ve made many mistakes in my life, and the older I get, the more the lessons from these mistakes help me stay firmly rooted in my values.
I’ve come to learn that the “what” I am trying to achieve is just as important as the “how”. If I lead with transparency, integrity, kindness, directness, and set clear boundaries, I’m helping to make a difference to the people around me and to my community. In the same way, when others lead with their values and principles, I benefit too.
For someone standing where you once stood, what honest advice would you give before they take the leap?
Stop, think, trust your gut, speak to your trusted advisors, journal, meditate – do what you need to make an informed decision. Don’t rush into anything. We generally don’t make good decisions if we don’t consider all of the facts or reflect on how we feel about a given situation.
In parts of my career, I have acted too quickly, I haven’t asked the right questions, and I haven’t considered how a given decision aligns with my long-term goals. This isn’t to say, don’t take the opportunity to learn and grow (lean in), just make sure they align with who you are and what you hope to achieve with the limited time we all have on this planet.
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