The world is changing faster then ever before. Every day a new advancement in technology changes the way we do business. The unprepared scramble to find their footing in this new world while the well prepared are poised to shape the future with their vision. My journey through leadership, civic engagement, and emerging technologies has prepared me to join the innovators of our time in shaping the future. My interest in emerging technologies began when I was 4 years old. My father would sit me down on his lap as he'd play the newest video games on his computer. My curiosity only increased as I grew older. I was constantly seeking out new technologies, big ideas, and experts. These experts became my mentors and I soon found myself in leadership.By my junior year in college I was serving as the President of the North Dakota Student Association. I was charged with representing the 45,000 North Dakotan higher education students on a diverse array of topics. However, I kept with me my passion to learn and grew my passion to advocate. My senior year led me to serving the students of the University of North Dakota as the VP of the Student Body. In that role I worked to transform technology on campus to meet the needs of the student of tomorrow. This role led me to interning with the campus IT department and growing my experience with emerging technologies and techniques.These experiences cultivated in the highlight of my career. In July of 2019 ND Governor Burgum appointed me to serve on the State Board of Higher Education. In that role I championed students, fought for increased mental health resources, and kept one eye fixed on the role technology would play for future students. This became even more apparent when Covid-19 began to spread. Covid-19 revealed the major gaps that exist in our society. Emerging technologies hold many of the answers to today's problems. But only if we prepare ourselves can we hope to shape the future in our vision.