Rusty Kilpatrick Jr.

I was all in on the life of "the markets" and found a lot of success, but I regularly left work unhappy and unfulfilled. The times I was happiest was when I was doing volunteer work in the community outside my job.

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Then one day, something just clicked. I made the decision to leave for a career in public service and have never looked back. People thought I was crazy. But here's the thing about crazy decisions: sometimes they're exactly what you need. Now, I'm a career firefighter for the City of Omaha and Rescue Specialist for Nebraska Task Force One, an urban search and rescue team.

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For the last two years, I've been part of a team of Omaha Fire professionals who have worked to improve patient outcomes for out of hospital cardiac arrest calls in our city. This has led to extensive training for our department, data driven oversight and accountability for our responders, and helped foster meaningful, collaborative relationships with partnering healthcare organizations with similar goals. Most importantly, it has had a positive effect on patient outcomes in our city. Most people who get into public service want to make a difference and our team is doing that every day.

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When I leave the station after a 24 hour shift, I know exactly why I'm here. Some people find their purpose in boardrooms. I found mine helping others during difficult and sometimes dangerous circumstances. It's been the best professional decision I've ever made.

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Thank you to our partner The Volcker Alliance for spotlighting Rusty.