Servant Leader
U.S. Army 1999-2019
For 20 years, as an Army Counterintelligence Officer, I was privileged to serve this great country, fulfilling my keen sense of patriotic duty and insatiable curiosity.
I served all over the world to include various locations throughout the United States, Germany, the UK, Qatar, and combat tour in Iraq.
I led threat investigations of home-grown violent extremists, implemented the Army’s Threat Awareness Reporting Program across communities, and utilized a proprietary violence risk assessment methodology during active investigations. The processes focused on behavioral indicators using many of the same observable markers that are found in all forms of premeditated, targeted violence to include suicide.
This experience equips me to help Rockford Public Schools strengthen and oversee threat assessment teams under Michigan’s new Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Teams (BTAM) program, improve reporting pathways, prioritize visible law enforcement liaison presence, and build relational safety through better student-faculty-peer connections.
KNOWING our kids is the first and most effective layer to PROTECT our kids. Everything else is just a failsafe.
Protecting
Defending
Professional Background and Education
I am constantly learning! Whether formal or not, I am continuously improving.
Formal education includes:
- MS – Information Security Engineering – 2025
- MA – European History – 2015
- BS – Information Systems Security – 2018
- BA – Intelligence Studies – 2011
Certifications:
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional – 2023
- Numerous GIAC cybersecurity certifications
Since my retirement from active duty in the Army, I have advanced quickly in the IT industry: starting as a desktop engineer, moving to a systems engineer, and now serving as an acting IT Director and Cybersecurity lead for The Consulting Engineers Group. I love technology and leveraging it to make life better, more meaningful, and productive. I am passionate about protecting people and information.
My cybersecurity and IT leadership, and continuous education equip me to provide strong, informed, and independent oversight of Rockford Public Schools technology initiatives. I will advocate for secure and ethical best practices that protect student and family personal data and ensure responsible use of AI.
I am also keenly aware of the tradeoffs intrusive technology have introduced in our lives. Children’s attention spans have diminished, reading of physical books declined, and over-reliance on AI large language models shown significant signs of rewiring brains. It reduces deep knowledge-building and composition skills. I pledge to balance these negatives with the positives that IT tools present.
Personal Life
Husband, Father, Kid-at-Heart
I have been happily married to my lovely wife since 2002. As parents of two children in Rockford High School, our future is tied to this school district’s success. Apart from a sense of duty to serve, this is why I am motivated to run for the board.
I have an intense curiosity about the world. I love to travel, and experience new cultures and foods. I do not practice my foreign language skills nearly as often as I should (German, Spanish, Russian).
You will often see me running up and down the White Pine Trail. You will likely not see me lumbering around on soccer fields any more, but I remain a huge soccer fan supporting Germany’s finest, Borussia Dortmund.
I am a nerd, an historian, a musician, a photographer, a writer, but most importantly, a sinner grateful to be saved by the grace of God.