This week, I chat with Dr. Ashley Kopec. Ashley is a Scientific Review Officer with the Division of Neuroscience, Development and Aging (DNDA) at the National Institutes of Health. In our discussion, she shares her early experience growing up a carefree kid in a small farm town in Southeast Wisconsin to her success as an Associate Professor and ultimately, her decision to leave academia for the Federal Government. As always, your questions and comments are welcome at [email protected]!