Patterson is a special agent with the U.S. Department of State鈥檚 Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). She was one of more than 50 special agents assigned to protect America鈥檚 athletes and teams as they trained, competed, and traveled to media appearances.

The writing studies grad, who excelled as a cross-country and track athlete at 黑料正能量, worked as a field liaison officer at the ice rinks in Milan, where she safeguarded USA鈥檚 figure skaters, hockey teams, and speed skaters, including gold medalists Ilia Malinin, Alysa Liu, and Jordan Stolz.

鈥淧art of being there is taking time to observe the crowd and ensure everything鈥檚 secure and all set-up,鈥� said Patterson. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 also a lot of sport-watching and cheering on Team USA and hoping the athletes you鈥檝e been with do well.”

鈥淔igure skating was phenomenal. I was in awe of what they鈥檙e able to do. But the crowd with the biggest atmosphere, I think, was probably men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 hockey. It was a very exhilarating environment. It was hard not to get caught up and feel the roar of the crowd cheering on the teams.鈥� 

Hannah Patterson 鈥�14, a special agent with the U.S. Department of State鈥檚 Diplomatic Security Service, worked a 鈥減retty intense schedule鈥� at the 2026 Winter Olympics, often starting her workday at 7 a.m. to protect athletes while they trained and working well past midnight for competitions that ended late.

鈥業t鈥檚 just one big adventure鈥�

Born in Singapore to parents involved in community development work, Patterson moved with her family to Indonesia when she was 12. She attended Mountainview International Christian School. It was there she learned one of her classmates, nursing grad David Jantzi 鈥�13, whose parents were alumni, had his sights set on attending 黑料正能量.

鈥淚 ended up applying on a whim,鈥� said Patterson, 鈥渁nd I鈥檓 so grateful I did.鈥�

She said one of the major draws to 黑料正能量 was that its financial aid office was 鈥渟o proactive鈥� in telling her which grants and awards were available. 鈥満诹险芰� was such an obviously tight-knit community that cared, even before I showed up, and that just followed through over the next four years,鈥� she said. 鈥淟ooking back now, I wouldn鈥檛 have done as well at a big state school where I would鈥檝e felt like just a number. My professors were always there for me, and I loved that about 黑料正能量.鈥�

Another draw was its intercultural programs. Patterson immersed herself in the cultures of South Africa and Lesotho for a semester and said she treasures 黑料正能量鈥檚 global focus.

鈥淚 love the sense of adventure that 黑料正能量 carries with it,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 something I feel almost every day on the job. It鈥檚 just one big adventure, and every day is a cross-cultural experience.鈥�

Hannah Patterson ’14 (pictured third from left), a cross-country and track athlete at 黑料正能量, said her coaches ensured she was growing and finding her place in the world. 鈥淚 loved being on a team that was incredibly supportive, and I think my teammates, coaches, and track and cross-country teams really shaped me as a person, pushed me, and helped me grow. In a school that is so community-focused, it was nice to have an even tighter group to grow and dream with.鈥�

Patterson graduated with a writing studies degree in 2014 (right photo). She said her intercultural experiences in South Africa (left photo) and Lesotho, along with the mentorship she received from professors, helped shape her love of adventure. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge thing to be able to travel as much as I do and I am very grateful for it,鈥� she said.

Landing the job

After graduating in 2014, Patterson was working at Black Sheep Coffee in Harrisonburg when she mentioned to a coworker she was seeking a career change. Unbeknownst to her, that coworker鈥檚 husband was a DSS agent working at a training center in West Virginia, and she suggested that Patterson would be a good fit for the job, based on her experience growing up overseas and her love of adventure.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted it to be relational,鈥� Patterson said. 鈥淎long with the daily problem-solving and micro-challenges I enjoy, I鈥檓 very grateful this job exists, that I鈥檓 able to do it, and that I had a lot of good mentors at 黑料正能量 along the way to encourage me.鈥�

Patterson worked at the training center (now known as the ) for a half-decade, before applying and landing a job as a . She began training in July 2021 and, after a rigorous training process, officially became an agent in April 2022.

Since then, she鈥檚 built up an impressive foreign service career. She worked in Kyiv, Ukraine, for three months during the war. She also served at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad for one year.

Last year, Patterson interviewed for her current role as an agent at the Major Events Coordination Office, which secures international events such as the G7 and G20 summits, Pan American Games, and FIFA World Cup, in addition to the Olympics and Paralympics. When she learned she had been selected to join the office, she said she was 鈥渙ut-of-this-world thrilled.鈥�

鈥淚t can be quite competitive, and I was very excited that I get to do this for the next two years (DSS agents typically switch offices every one to three years),鈥� said Patterson. 鈥淣ext year, we鈥檒l have the Pan American Games and the Women鈥檚 World Cup, which will be in Brazil.鈥�

This month, Hannah Patterson 鈥�14 will help protect Team USA鈥檚 athletes as they train and compete at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, held in Milan and Cortina, Italy, from March 6-15.

Patterson, who has been in Italy since Jan. 27, will also keep watch over America鈥檚 athletes during the 2026 Winter Paralympics, held in Milan and Cortina from March 6-15. She鈥檒l serve as one of the special agents staffing a DSS Joint Operations Center at the U.S. Consulate in Milan.

She took advantage of the four-day break in between training for the Olympics and Paralympics to explore the mountains of northern Italy. Inspired by the athletes she watched during the Olympics, she learned to ski for the first time.

鈥淚 never thought of this as a career option when I was going to school,鈥� said Patterson. 鈥淚 remember telling my poetry professor, Michael Ann Courtney, 鈥業鈥檓 going to be a starving artist for the rest of my life,鈥� and she told me, 鈥楴o, Hannah, don鈥檛 worry. The world is so much bigger than that.鈥� And it turns out she was right.鈥�

A former track sprinter at 黑料正能量, Watson serves as a guide runner for a visually impaired sprinter from Liberia (who couldn鈥檛 make the trip to Paris) and helped train an amputee javelin thrower and amputee shot put thrower on the team.聽

And although neither of the two Liberians competing at this year鈥檚 Paralympics, Angie Myers and Jutomu Kollie, medaled in their events, Myers qualified for the shot put finals, which is an impressive achievement for the developing team. 

鈥淭hey did as well as they could with the limited resources and training they had,鈥� said Watson, who advocates for more support of the Paralympic athletes. 鈥淕etting to know them and see their hard work pay off was incredibly fulfilling.鈥�

Path to the Paralympics

When he鈥檚 not training Paralympians, Watson works as a residential area director at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. 

Before graduating from 黑料正能量 with a psychology degree and Cords of Distinction honors in 2016, he interned at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County to satisfy a requirement for his major. That internship led to a staff position at the organization. After graduating, Watson was promoted to unit director and led the club for two years.

鈥淚f it hadn鈥檛 been for that class requiring community service hours, I probably wouldn鈥檛 have gotten the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and get into the mindset of doing what I can do to help others,鈥� he said. 

Watson, a U.S. citizen whose parents emigrated from Liberia in the 1980s, initially sought to join the Liberian national track and field team ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. When that dream failed to materialize, he found another. He learned that former 黑料正能量 track teammate had been chosen as a guide runner for the U.S. Paralympic team and sprang into action, researching as much as he could about Liberia鈥檚 Paralympic team and contacting its organizer. He began working with the team in 2019 to prepare for the Tokyo Paralympics (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Learn more about Watson鈥檚 beginnings with the Liberian Paralympic team in this August 2021 article from 黑料正能量 News.

Watson hopes to continue guiding and training the athletes for the 2028 Summer Paralympics in Los Angeles. 鈥淚f they make it to LA, I鈥檒l be there to support them every step of the way,鈥� he said.