Earlier in life, I never would have guessed that I would end up running for public office. But the path that led me to file for Washington County Commissioner made it almost inevitable.
I have long called the city of Beaverton and this county home, from my days of attending Vose Elementary and Highland Park Middle School to my graduation from Beaverton High School.
For years, I’ve worked for Yamhill County’s Department of Community Justice working with criminally effected youth. I also spent years working in Health and Human Services as a Case Manager for high needs mental health youth and their families. That focus on the bigger picture caused me to become an administrator, where I knew I could make even more lasting changes in the form of policy with the population I had served for so many years before that. That opportunity is what drove me and continues to drive me to this day, but for everybody in my community.
Those 20 years I spent working in county government have gone by very quickly. In the meantime, I married my wife Tabitha 26 years ago and she also shares my passion for service and has spent 15 years in the health care industry working as a Registered Nurse.
We have two sons, both of whom graduated from Hillsboro High School.
Every step of the way, throughout my professional life as a supervisor and an administrator, I always felt that things could be better. As I began to look more in depth at local public policy that shaped my neighborhood and community, I felt that the hardworking, taxpaying citizens deserved so much more than they were getting. Politicians had promised much and delivered too little. I saw the lack of trust between the public, department heads and elected officials.
It was always important to me to lead by example because I took the role of leadership seriously. So, I began leading ethics training for public employees all over Oregon to try and change our systems from within. My passions prompted me to step up to serve on Washington County’s Homeless Plan Advisory Committee and the Rural Roads Maintenance Advisory Committee. That same public policy advocacy made me decide to become a proud member of the Washington County Public Affairs Forum.
All of my efforts over the years have given me some valuable insights into the most pressing issues facing Washington County residents. They’ve also made me mindful of what some of the pragmatic solutions can be for those very serious and complex problems.
I’m running for Washington County Commissioner to make a difference in the daily lives of our citizens. With your support, I look forward to taking on these issues and helping the county become the best it can be.