PUTTING MY
EXPERIENCE TO WORK
Born in Washington, DC in 1990, I relocated to Arlington with my family in 1993, making me a long-time resident of this community. I attended Jamestown Elementary, Williamsburg Middle, and Yorktown High Schools, and post-graduation, I headed for the University of Wisconsin – Madison on an Army ROTC scholarship.
The ROTC program provided 4 years of leadership training, and I graduated with a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army’s Virginia National Guard, as well as a B.S. in History. I was assigned to a light infantry unit, and completed my Infantry Basic Officer Leadership Course (IBOLC) at Ft. Benning (soon to be Ft. Moore), Georgia.
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After completing IBOLC, I joined the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, where I was assigned to the Seventh District (Anacostia, Congress Heights, Woodland Terrace area/Ward 8). While this experience was invaluable, including the privilege to train new recruits as a Field Training Officer, the constant pace of violent crime, combined with a punishing schedule on the night shift, was physically and mentally draining. Poor working conditions were exacerbated by chronic understaffing, and we were constantly falling behind on investigations and basic community safety efforts. So after 5 years, in 2019, I transferred to the Arlington Police.
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While working as a police officer in DC and Arlington, I continued my Virginia National Guard service. I deployed to Qatar for ten months, where I led a platoon of 40-plus soldiers, providing 24/7 perimeter security for a vital military installation. Upon returning to the U.S., I was assigned as a Company Executive Officer—responsible for the welfare of 160 soldiers and tens of millions of dollars of government equipment. My Commander was often on duty away from the unit, so command of the Company fell to me. I was ultimately assigned to the 29th Infantry Division headquarters, where I spent the remainder of my service obligation as a Division Liaison Officer, representing my Division Commander (Major General) to a Corps Commander (Lieutenant General) for various training exercises. I completed my service in 2021 and was honorably discharged.
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I am currently a homeowner in the Arlington Heights neighborhood with my wife Alyssa (an architect and urban designer), our dog Samson, and our cat Daenerys. When not at work, I can be found at W-L High School, where I am an assistant coach for the Men’s Rowing Team.
