About me
Introduction
Your vote matters!
We all hear that, and it's true. Whether you are Republican or Democrat, the end goal is the same- making change to better our society and those around us, which we can only do by working together. I am not afraid, even more so, I am determined to work with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to ensure we finally see productivity in our government.
I have found a passion in serving the public. It started with my career in the military, but was furthered by other roles and experiences throughout the years.
I'm here because I believe in the power of effective governance, transparent representation, and a strong connection with the community. I hope that by reading this page, you will have a better understanding of who I am, what I value, and most of all, I hope you walk away with a confidence in me as your candidate for State Rep. of District 2.
Family
I am lucky to be able to say that I've been happily married to my wonderful wife, Azlyn, for almost 2 years now. This year, our wedding anniversary will also mark the eighth year we have been together!
Thanks to her, I also get to enjoy being an Uncle to two boys, Landon and Hudson!
Military Service
As an Adjutant General Officer in the Army National Guard, I began my service as an enlisted soldier with the 1-112th Infantry Regiment for two years before commissioning, which led to me being transferred to the 1-109th Infantry Regiment where I serve today.
Career
In addition to my military commitment, I've embarked on a fulfilling career in public service. Currently, I am an Economic Research Analyst for Penn State Behrend in the ERIE (Economic Research Institute of Erie) office. I thoroughly enjoy this work/ research as my role involves collecting, reporting, analyzing, and distributing data to contribute to the understanding of Erie County's economy. This is where you see a lot of my passion for fiscal and monetary policy make place in my daily life.
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If I don't seem busy enough, I have also been a Realtor for Agresti Real Estate for the past four years. This is where I first saw the extent to which you can put your skills to good use in a career you enjoy. Within a few months of going full-time solely on this path, I managed to accomplish a huge feat for any Realtor; over $1 million in sales in less than a week (unfortunately this is not what I got to take home, haha!). I think the most important thing I can take from that into this position is that in order to get things done, you need to be willing and able to work with people with an opposing interest. Especially in today's climate, this will be essential. We will get nowhere if we refuse to work together to push past the political gridlock.
Education
As a first-generation college graduate on both sides of my family, I hold undergraduate degrees in Political Science, Marketing, and a minor in Military Studies from Penn State Behrend.
To further that, I decided to continue my education and get an MBA there as well, which I am set to graduate from in August with a 4.0 GPA (assuming I finish strong here!).
Character
Over the years, I have more than accepted the fact that I am a workaholic. I always felt if I was not doing something productive, I was wasting my time. During college, I balanced a more than full-time workload, including 20 hours of overtime every week, and a far above average credit load (my peak was 25 credits per semester once I hit my senior year). Even in high school I managed three jobs, high academic standing, and graduated Summa Cum Laude.
These traits developed because I am a self-made man. I was raised in a lower-middle class family, which I am more than thankful for, but it surely instilled in me the importance of hard work and determination, values I've carried with me throughout my life.
Involvement
- 2 Term Student Government Association President
- Political Science Advisory Board member at Penn State Behrend
- Numerous academic and student-life oriented committees