After graduating from Clarkson University in 2010, I moved to Saratoga Springs. This is where I met my wife Julie, an Art Teacher in a neighboring district.  We are raising two young children, both of whom attend Division Street Elementary. Our daughter recently received the Math Magician award and our son The Encourager award—awards indicative of our priorities of academic achievement and helping others.

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I am the Director of Real Estate at Stewart's, a legacy business in Saratoga Springs. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from SUNY Potsdam, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University, and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Albany’s Rockefeller School of Public Affairs and Policy.

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I like my job at Stewart's. Big picture, my successes in developing and re-developing Stewart's Shops result in job creation, along with philanthropic benefits to Stewart's communities. The day-to-day work is two-fold: reviewing planning and zoning guidelines and negotiating at the intersection of public policy and political interests. Every community is different. Every planning and zoning code is different. The politics of every community are different.  Sometimes, the word "politics" can be swapped out for "expectations", depending on where I find myself.

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My job at Stewart's takes me across New York State into small villages, large towns, and the occasional city.  

On every drive back home, I am reminded that Saratoga Springs is beautiful and a jewel that must be nurtured, which requires a balance of protecting our rich history but enabling investment that expands the tax base.

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I am a registered Republican.  Previously, I was enrolled in the Independence Party—really, the Purple Party. The Independence Party was, effectively, "a safe space" where stark political ideologies were set aside in favor of sound public policy development and common-sense solutions.

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Seeking the Commissioner of Public Works is my first foray into partisan politics, which is a different animal from public service. The terms are often substituted, one for the other, but they are not the same. I've participated in public service—I served on the Saratoga County Sewer Commission—prior to being on the Saratoga Springs Planning Board where I am currently the chair.  Public service, with the emphasis on service, is about doing the work and figuring out the solutions that work for everyone. Politics, for too many people, is about the power. Influence. Votes. Which is why I've shied away from partisan politics and have chosen public service at every opportunity.

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Now, though, I understand that to get the "next level" work done, to implement the big ideas, to achieve the consequential results, I need to step into the partisan arena.

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Finally, my resume documents my two decades of hands-on, from-the-ground-up, successful project management, coupled with specific education and training, relevant to the vital work of the Saratoga Springs Department of Public Works.