Maggie Feldman-Piltch ’14

Maggie Feldman-Piltch ’14 is deeply committed to using her Wesleyan education and unique talents for the greater good. “The only bad thing to do with a Wesleyan education is not to use it. Wesleyan doesn’t try to make you into anybody except who you are, and that is immensely freeing, but it also comes with tremendous responsibility. It’s important to remember that the people we hold up as idols are often those doing the most good by their own definition. If I didn’t carry my Wesleyan experience with me out in the world, finding my place in it would be much, much harder. Working in public service is a mix of having to understand both people and the sharp edges of power. The critical and creative thinking required in the liberal arts at Wesleyan gave me the skills I need to function in a technical and professional space that doesn’t exist in a vacuum.”

Maggie knew from her first moments on campus that Wesleyan was the place for her. “I felt that Wesleyan actually looked and saw me. The school cares about you as a person, and that’s how they keep you forever. It is a place that changes constantly, but also somehow stays exactly the same. You carry it with you, and so does everybody else.” After completing a University major in Ethics and Capitalism at Wesleyan, Maggie found her way to the national security space through Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service. She has since worked with the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, State, and Treasury, and in federal law enforcement and the intelligence community.

As Founding Partner at Unicorn Strategies, Maggie embraces the concept of the unicorn, acknowledging the importance of seeing unseen possibilities, and leading a team dedicated to demystifying national security and strengthening our democratic institutions. She is founder of #NatSecGirlSquad, a professional development community committed to competent diversity in national security and defense. Her multimedia project, Non-State Actress, makes the field accessible to more than 250,000 readers a month—she is also writing a first book under the same title.