The solid, middle-class values of hard work, responsibility, family, community, and faith my father talked about tirelessly from Iowa to New York, he lived at home. The hopes he had for his family and for me, he had for all Americans. I think Americans understood this.

Through their 'Making a Difference' franchise, 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.

We need women who are at the head of a boardroom, like at the head of the White House, at the head of kind of major scientific enterprises so that little girls everywhere can then think, you know what? I can do that, I want to do that, I will do that.

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 hope to make a positive, productive contribution, as cheesy as that may sound.

I hope telling stories though 'Making a Difference' - as in my academic work and nonprofit work - will help me to live my grandmother's adage of 'Life is not about what happens to you, but about what you do with what happens to you.'

I had seen people who had lost everything and everyone they loved to war, famine, and natural disasters.

I'm sorry, I don't talk to the press. Even though I think you're cute.

I think about how best to live my grandmother's twin mantras that 'Life is not a dress rehearsal' and 'Life is not about what happens to you, but what you do with what happens to you.'

Every day at some point I encounter some sort of anti-American feeling.

For most of my life, I deliberately led a private life in the public eye.

For most of my life, I did deliberately lead a private life and inadvertently led a public life.

I have a boyfriend and a dog, and I still haven't figured out what I want to be when I grow up.

I know I'm late, but I've finally joined Facebook!

I think that we need women role models everywhere. I think that it's really hard to imagine yourself as something that you don't see.

I've always been incredibly proud of both of my parents and proud of the work I had done privately as a person, professionally and academically.

My parents and my grandmother inspire me every day and, every day, in my work and personal life.

My parents taught me to approach the world critically, but also to approach it with a sense of responsibility.

Oxford is wonderful. I'm having a great time. We do go out, but I still try to spend most of my time studying in the library.

We proved we could be safe and secure at home, and still have more allies and friends in the world.