"We protect our country"

I track down terrorists to prevent future attacks

Lisa M. Rich, 38, New York City, special agent with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force

"My job with the counterterrorism division of the FBI is to investigate radical Islamic extremists who operate out of Africa. What I do changes from day to day: I spend a lot of time researching my cases and looking for leads; I might be studying the history and current conditions of a certain city, or investigating connections among a network of people. My research may lead to interviewing people or going out on surveillance. My desk is generally overflowing with paperwork, too, so I do spend some time at the office. It can be stressful. There are days when I obsess about whatever I'm investigating. I think, "I've got to make sure I cover every possible angle. I can't leave any stone unturned." There's a lot of pressure, and it gets to me sometimes.

I wouldn't have guessed in a million years that I'd be doing this job. I used to work at a technology company, but about 10 years ago, I started thinking about how I could serve people with my work. I thought law school might be the answer, so I went back to college to finish earning my degree. Right before I graduated, I went to a career fair, and as I passed the law enforcement table, the guy there said, "We need more women in law enforcement." I laughed at him, saying, "You're never going to see me in that job!" Little did I know he'd have the last laugh. Something drew me to the idea. I started researching and soon realized how much I could benefit society with this kind of work. So I enrolled in the FBI Academy, in Virginia. When I graduated, in September 2003, I was assigned to the New York City field office.

I'm a single mother, and my daughter, Amber, was just 13 when we moved. It was really hard on her. Not only had I pulled her away from her friends and family to move her to a big, unfamiliar city, but I was also leaving early in the morning and coming home late. My parents finally said, "Why don't you let her live with us in Virginia?" Letting her go was the hardest decision I've ever made. But I try to go back twice a month, and we talk every night via webcam. She likes to hear how my day went, although she knows there are some things I can't discuss. We mostly talk about what's going on with her. There have been a few times when Amber has needed me and I've had to unload my cases to a colleague for a few days to go be with her. I'm happy to sacrifice almost everything for my work, but sometimes you just have to be there for your little girl.

My proudest moment in my job was in September 2006, when my team won the Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security. My team had worked on the Zacarias Moussaoui case for three years. [He was the only person prosecuted for having a role in the Sept. 11 attacks.] I coordinated the security for the witnesses who came to testify for the prosecution--there were serious concerns for their safety. Moussaoui's conviction felt like a real accomplishment: Now an admitted terrorist is behind bars for the rest of his life. And my work contributed to that. I get a lot of satisfaction knowing that at the end of the day I've actually done something to serve my country."