Celebrate those who have the courage to be second, because I do think that often there really is this claustrophobic pressure to innovate instead of to adapt.

I was working full time and going to school at night and on the weekends. It was just crazy. At one point a month had gone by, and Marc - my then boyfriend, now husband, and I hadn't gone out on a date. I was like, I don't want to be this person. I want to be a person who cares where she's investing her time and energy. And I want to be a good wife, daughter, and friend.

I've tried really hard to care about things that were very different from my parents. I was curious if I could care about [money] on some fundamental level, and I couldn't. That wasn't the metric of success I wanted in my life. I've talked about this to my friends who are doctors and whose parents are doctors, or who are lawyers and their parents are lawyers. It's a funny thing to realize I feel called to this work both as a daughter and also as someone who believes I have contributions to make.

I am excited to work with NBC News to continue to highlight stories of organizations and individuals who make their communities and our world healthier, more just and more humane.

My marriage is incredibly important to me. It's the place from which I engage in the world every day, and the place to which I return every day.

What inspires me most are people who imagine and implement solutions to challenges in their own lives, in their communities, in our country and around the world.

I believe that engaging in the political process is part of being a good person.