I’ve been connected to the Gorge and the Mt. Hood region for nearly twenty years, through time spent in these communities, in the orchards, on the trails, and on the rivers that define this place. That relationship has shaped how I understand care, responsibility, and belonging, and it’s why I’ve spent almost my entire life in Oregon.

I grew up in rural Douglas County, outside Roseburg, where I attended public schools and learned early what it means to show up for your community. My mom was always volunteering, at our school, in the neighborhood, wherever help was needed. From her, I learned that community is something you participate in.

I studied at the University of Oregon and eventually settled in Corbett, where I’ve lived for the past ten years. Along the way, I spent years organizing with neighbors, educators, and local groups to take on problems we couldn’t solve alone. My wife works in healthcare serving patients in rural clinics, and I’ve spent the better part of two decades teaching in Oregon’s public universities. Today, I serve on our local school board and raise two young children who attend our public schools.

Working in public education, organizing alongside my neighbors, raising a family, and serving in local governance has shown me both the promise of this place, and the pressure people are under every day.

I’ve sat with students exhausted from working night shifts just to afford tuition and rent. I’ve been in school budget conversations where we’re forced to choose between programs, staff, and services our kids depend on. And I witness, again and again, how hard it is for people to get the healthcare they need while trying to make everything else add up.

That’s not a personal failing.

That’s a political choice.

I’m running because we cannot accept this reality, not when the stakes are this high for our families and our communities. Years of organizing, teaching, and local service have shaped how I work: listening first, bringing people together, and staying with hard problems. I’m stepping forward because those qualities are needed, and because I’m ready to offer them in service of our communities. 

I believe healthcare should be there when you need it, not tied to your job or income. That people should be able to afford to live in the communities they love. That public education, from preschool through college, should be strong, well-funded, and accessible. That caring for the land is part of caring for each other. And that communities, not distant decision-makers, should have real power in shaping how we live and grow.

These are common-sense foundations a society needs to function, rooted in everyday life here in Oregon.

They won’t happen through half-measures. They’ll only happen if we’re honest about what isn’t working, and willing to fight, together, for something better.

I’m running because I want the people who live here, in the Gorge and around Mt. Hood, to be able to build a stable future in the place they call home. A future where dignity and affordability aren’t out of reach, and where public service means action, accountability, and care.