The interview process at W.K. Kellogg Foundation was initially promising. The recruiter was professional and communicative, and I appreciated the emphasis on values like racial equity, community engagement, and systems change—aligned with my own background. The panel was composed of knowledgeable team members, and the questions were relevant and fair. That said, I sensed that the internal team may have already had a preferred candidate. One panelist commented that they "had heard enough" about me, which made it difficult to fully present my vision and capabilities. The follow-up communication was brief and lacked transparency on what could have strengthened my candidacy. Overall, WKKF is a mission-driven organization with thoughtful people, but I would encourage future candidates to be clear about what unique value they bring—especially if they don’t come through traditional networks.