I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force security forces after high school in 1972, earned my bachelor’s degree, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1979. I flew B-52s, B-1Bs, and E-3s, in support of real-world contingency operations worldwide, with multiple deployments in the Persian Gulf and in South America flying counter-drug operations. Throughout my 30 plus years of active duty military service, I managed multiple organizations, personnel and contracts, multimillion-dollar budgets and multibillion-dollar capital assets. I was also a division chief at the Pentagon during 9/11 and deployed to Baghdad in 2004. 

In 2008, after retiring from the military, I joined the U.S. Department of State and served two additional years in Iraq as the Deputy Team Leader of an Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team in the Southern Baghdad Province. Where I directed and coordinated a multi-agency team efforts to restore the government of Iraq's capabilities. 

After returning from Iraq, I obtained my real estate brokers license and founded a construction company. 

We know that education is the foundation of a growing economy. Improving our public education system and retaining our college graduates will attract new businesses and bolster our economy. I will enable educators to improve the quality of our children's education while creating an atmosphere where teachers feel empowered and appreciated.