RF: My interest in politics stemmed from an unique curiosity in the United States Presidents and specifically the Kennedy family when I was about 6 or 7 years old. After spending several years door to door canvassing with a childhood friend on various campaigns from Gore to McGreevey to Kerry and Corzine among others, I knew I wanted to do it for a living. I had an opportunity to volunteer for the Obama campaign, Congressman and now Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly as well as South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg while in Indiana where I went to school and I was briefly involved in my school's College Dems too. So you can say I've wanted to do this for a while.
CDNJ: Which accomplishment are you most proud of?
RF: While I have had many professional moments that have been gratifying, whether it was successfully navigating Senator Bob Menendez's Middlesex County GOTV (Get out the Vote) Operation through a hurricane in 2012, keeping a district that Governor Christie won by 32 points within six points at the legislative level in 2013, or being a part of a historic campaign which elected Bonnie Watson Coleman, New Jersey's first African American woman in Congress in 2014, the most rewarding experience has been working to elect strong public servants and having the opportunity to now serve in a public capacity, working for the people of Jersey City and moving the city forward.
CDNJ: Most College Democrats' members plan on remaining active in politics and government after college. What would you tell students who are planning to enter the world of public service?
RF: For those who have a dream of entering public service in either an official government or political capacity, I would say go for it. The key in anything is to find your passion and to work hard. In order to really stand out you have to work hard. The gratifying part is knowing that you are working to make a difference each day and help a strong Democrat get elected and to help people. Helping people is what it's all about and you can never lose sight of that whether you are first starting in the field or whether you have years of experience. Being in the business for the right reasons is vital.
CDNJ: How have you found meaning through your political work?
RF: Yes. Public Service and my political work isn't a job. It's my life, It's my vocation. As they said in the movie Rudy, "Having dreams is what makes life tolerable" so again, I should reiterate: for those who know what they want to do, go for it and work hard to achieve your dreams. For those who don't know what they want to do, that's ok, but be open to new things and try new things. Go out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to expand your horizons. This will lead to more growth and you'll find something you enjoy.
CDNJ: What's on your music playlist?
RF: I have all kinds of stuff. Just this morning, I listened to "How's it going to be" by Third Eye Blind, one of my favorite bands, Taylor Swift's "Wildest Dreams", "Nutville" performed by the Buddy Rich Orchestra as well as the Finale to Dmitri Shostakovich's 5th Symphony. So I'm kind of all over the place.
CDNJ: Best book you've read recently?
RF: Over the past couple days after the election, I re-read parts of "Confessions of a Political Hitman" by GOP Opposition Researcher Stephen Marks. It's about research campaigns do on opponents. It is interesting to read about a different side of politics. The weekend after the election, I also read through a Plato Dialogue on Alcibiades, a young ambitious Greek ruler. Socrates, his teacher attempts to guide the naive and hubris filled Alcibiades to gain wisdom and seek virtue. It's a good read for Poli Sci students and relatively a short read.