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As a child, Alex wanted to be a fireman -- who wouldn't if you could have a fire pole in the middle of your living room and your own fire truck?  But now that he is grown up -- and an account executive in Duffey's public affairs practice, we thought it might be interesting to learn a little more about Alex and what makes him tick.

Where did you grow up?
Birmingham, Alabama 

Where did you attend college? 
The University of Georgia, with a double major in Political Science and International Affairs – and a minor in Spanish. 

Why did you choose public affairs as your specialty? 
History is something that has always interested me. This is mainly because I am fascinated with how historical events have impacted our current culture and lifestyle. While attending the University of Georgia, I did several internships that taught me a great deal about population demographics, and how to tailor messaging to most effectively reach and motivate specific audiences. 

What intrigues you most about the field of public affairs? 
Grassroots response. On an individual level, people are always responding differently to what our government does. It is interesting to see what ignites people’s passion on an issue and how they act or react. 

If you could have lunch with a famous person – dead or alive – who would it be? 
Our government has evolved tremendously since the creation of the Supreme Court in 1789. Given the opportunity, I would like to have lunch with and interview Supreme Court Justice John Marshall. Justice Marshall, along with other early Supreme Court Justices, made monumental decisions that shaped the distribution of power within our three branches of government. 

What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you? 
When I was in middle school, two Chinese Olympic gold medalist fencers moved to Birmingham and became close to my family because my mother taught them English. In return, they taught me how to fence, and over the years I won state and regional titles, competed in the Junior Olympics, and placed seventh in the National Tour. 

What’s on your bucket list? 
One day I would love to take flying lessons and get my pilot’s license. My grandfather was a pilot in the Marines, and I have always wanted to fly a plane. 

What’s your favorite hobby? 
Hiking, camping and anything I can do outdoors. I have spent a total of nine months backpacking through various countries including Spain and Ireland. My favorite city in Spain is San Sebastián. This city is located in the Basque Region of the country, near the border of Spain and France, and has a culture that is almost untouched by Western Europe. My favorite destination in Ireland is the Cliffs of Moher. Hiking through this beautiful countryside was incredible. Staying in hostels was also exciting because many of them were renovated castles. I strongly suggest visiting this destination if you ever have the chance.

Where in the world are you headed on your next vacation? 
Japan. Japanese culture is so different from the other countries I have visited. I would love to experience the traditional culture of this country firsthand. 

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? 
A firefighter – because I thought fire trucks were awesome, and I wanted a fire pole in my house. I also remember, on several occasions, getting in trouble for playing with fire. 

What’s your favorite thing about Atlanta? 
My favorite thing about Atlanta is its broad selection of restaurants. I enjoy trying different types of food, but my favorite restaurant is Home Grown. This restaurant has great vegetables for lunch and by far the best breakfast and fried chicken I’ve ever had—second to my mom’s of course.

Duffey’s specialties are public relations, public affairs, crisis communication and cause marketing – so what’s your cause? 
I have been involved with the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) Alumni Board since graduation. The Board strives to support the school and cultivate and encourage a continuing affiliation between the school and its graduates. Two main objectives I work toward are raising funds for an undergraduate study abroad scholarship and a Masters of Public Administration internship stipend, as well as establishing a mentor program, linking students with professionals in their desired career field to provide guidance and advice as they transition into the work force. Moving to Georgia from out-of-state without having any social or professional connections and identifying how to build a network of contacts was a big challenge I had to overcome. This is why I am passionate about developing a strong mentor program at the University of Georgia. I believe building lasting relationships with strong mentors is imperative, especially when pursuing a career in public affairs. I am also an active member of the Georgia Conservancy and volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. 

One more question, do you always wear a tux? 
After dark, always. And, of course, with a self-knotted bow tie to undo at the end of the night.