I don't plan on going back to legal work. I wanted an international career and finance seemed to be where some interesting career opportunities were.

Masood Ahmed brings to the position of director of external relations extensive experience gained in a range of senior positions in international finance and development.

I delivered lectures and I was also a consultant for international companies in finance both private equity and big venture capital funds.

It is usually people in the money business finance and international trade that are really rich.

People just want to hear some common sense... and I bring to bear the experience in local government and state government and national government - I was the first woman in history on the Senate Finance Committee - not to mention the diplomatic international experience.

You want to put out a TV show? If you have the money to do it on your own by yourself and you have a TV network you can do it by yourself. But the nature of the beast is art needs finance. That's how this industry works. So until the Internet becomes our source of entertainment - and watch it I believe it will - this is how things go.

I know I have this level of celebrity of fame international national whatever you want to call it but it's a pretty surreal thing to think sometimes that you're in the middle of another famous person's life and you think to yourself 'How the hell did I get famous? What is this some weird club that we're in?'

People hate me because I am a multifaceted talented wealthy internationally famous genius.

The countries who do the best in international comparisons whether it's Finland or Japan Denmark or Singapore do well because they have professional teachers who are respected and they also have family and community which support learning.

I grew up in a family where the internalized understanding was that the kids were going to grow up into a better world. I worry because I don't think my kids are going to have that. The world is very scary. The world would be scary without the choices the current administration made but they just exacerbated it. And it ticks me off. I want my kids to have a good life.