Born and raised in Ellensburg, I have a deep passion for serving the county my family has now called home for seven generations. I come from a long line of farmers and ranchers. My ancestors served in county government and built some of our most recognizable landmarks.

Like many others, our family didn’t always have it easy. I watched my father build a local small business from the ground up while my mom worked as a teacher. Early in life I learned the importance of a good education, and a strong work ethic to go with it.

I graduated from Ellensburg High School and earned a degree at Central Washington University, where I played on the men’s basketball team. After graduation, my wife and I packed up everything we had and moved to Vallejo, California where I enrolled at the California Maritime Academy. I graduated in 1999 with a degree in Marine Transportation and began a fascinating career in the maritime industry. Although it was hard to leave Kittitas County, I knew I owed it to myself to follow my passion which started from a second grade lesson on harbors.

My work over the last 20 years took me all over the world and taught me valuable lessons. When a company has the reputation of moving anything, anytime, and anywhere on water, seemingly-impossible problems are solved with hard work, determination and trust in one another. I quickly came to understand that without a leader developing a vision of success, progress becomes difficult to measure. This is an issue found both in the private sector and in local government.

Our family moved back to Kittitas County in 2012 and we settled again in Ellensburg. My wife became a teacher at Valley View Elementary and, while I continued to work in Seattle, my sense of duty to continue my family legacy of public service to Kittitas County grew. Raising our kids in this community reminded me what has drawn people to our area for generations. As much as I loved my work in the maritime field, I decided it was more important to commit myself to ensuring a prosperous future for our children and grandchildren.

When Commissioner Paul Jewell resigned in July 2018 I ran for, and was appointed to, the Kittitas County Board of Commissioners. In 2019, I was elected to complete the term and was re-elected in 2020 to a four-year term. I’ve made it my primary goal to develop a vision for our county that will promote job creation and a sustainable future.

By listening to your concerns, being a good steward of our county assets, and developing policies that attract business while protecting our history, I believe we can make Kittitas County a place where more generations of families can call home. Our county’s story is one of opportunity and hard work.  With your support, I will continue working hard every day to make sure the next chapter is even better!