Zina was born and raised in New England. She moved to the Washington, DC to pursue her master’s degree in Special Education from The George Washington University. While working in the field of education she earned her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland studying behavioral disorders. She taught in public and private schools and served as the Director of a private school for students with emotional and behavioral disorders before joining the the Senior Executive Service She serves as faculty in the Key Executive Leadership Program in the School of Public Affairs at American University teaching courses on leadership, team-building, and succession planning.  Patrick was born and raised in Austin, Texas, and earned his bachelor’s degree at Texas State University. After graduating and working as a surgical technician, he moved to San Antonio to complete his master’s degree at Trinity University. He began working in the health care industry in the private sector and then joined the Navy Medical Service Corps. He earned his Ph.D. in Public Administration and American Government from American University and retired from the Navy after 23 years of service. He is the Director of the Key Executive Leadership Program.