About Me

Background and Personal Journey

I was born in Urbana Illinois and spent much of my childhood moving from state to state — living in Colorado, Florida, and Pennsylvania before my family eventually settled in Saline, Michigan during my teenage years. Moving often taught me how to adapt, listen, and connect with people from all walks of life.

Like many teenagers, I made mistakes. I realized the traditional high school path wasn’t the right fit for me and made the decision to attend an alternative high school. That choice was a turning point. It taught me accountability and ownership over my future — lessons that have guided me ever since.

After high school, I graduated from Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts, determined to build a career and create stability for my future family.

In 2001, I met my wife online, at a time when that wasn’t common. We took a chance on each other, and in 2005 we were married. When we started out, we had very little. We relied on WIC and food assistance to help get by. Those programs weren’t handouts — they were a bridge. They gave us the stability we needed to work hard, stay focused, and build a better life.

For more than 20 years, I’ve worked at Haworth. Through steady work and perseverance, my wife and I built a life we’re proud of and raised two incredible children now 19 and 18 into adulthood.

We know what it’s like to struggle. We know what it’s like to work overtime to make ends meet. And we know what it means to receive help when you truly need it.

Now that our children are grown, we feel called to give back. The community and the opportunities we were given helped us build our life. I believe in returning that support in strengthening families, encouraging accountability, and ensuring that others have the same chance to rise that we did.