About Me
From an early age, I understood the power of public education. I was raised by an educator, and I saw firsthand how schools bring communities together and lift families up. I remember my mom and other parents working with our school district to secure bus service for our neighborhood. I remember everyone rolling up their sleeves to build a new playground at our elementary school. And I remember when my dad lost his job, it was my mom’s union salary and the safety net of reduced-price school meals that helped keep our family afloat.
After college, I joined the Peace Corps, serving as a community health educator and learning the value of relationship-building and persistence. When I returned home, I spent time working as a substitute teacher before heading back overseas to manage a remote health clinic, where I formed partnerships with local leaders, UN agencies, private business, and other nonprofits to dramatically expand our services. Those experiences deepened my belief in the power of service, collaboration, and listening to people on the ground to create lasting change.
Eventually, I came back to the U.S. for good, earned a Masters in Public Administration, married my wife, and settled into Braddock. We started a small business--a children's fitness center--and began raising our two amazing kids: one in the AAP program at White Oaks Elementary, and the other, equally smart, at Terra Centre, where she receives speech services just like I did when I was her age.
As you can probably guess, supporting teachers and protecting public education are deeply personal to me.
When our oldest child started school, I got involved right away--volunteering at events, helping wherever I could, and eventually serving as President of the PTA. In my first year, we grew our membership by 46 percent and increased our fundraising by 44 percent, strengthening our school community and giving more families a voice.
Throughout my career, I've always looked for ways to serve, think outside the box, and keep my eyes on the long game. My approach is rooted in relationships--listening first, bringing people together, and helping turn shared ideas into lasting results. I've built a reputation for bringing order out of chaos, earning buy-in along the way, and driving real change by working hand-in-hand with the people doing the hard work on the ground.
At home in the Braddock District, we've loved becoming part of this incredible community--coaching our kids' sports teams, hosting neighborhood events at our home, and fostering dogs with Homeward Trails Animal rescue. This is where we put down roots, and it's why I'm so passionate about keeping our public schools strong for every family.
