My Family

---

One of life’s greatest gifts is family, and I am especially grateful for mine. My Dad lived a life of service his entire adult life as a Baptist minister and was the greatest man I have ever known. He was a man of faith, integrity, honesty, and character. Unfortunately we lost him in March of 2021, but the impact he had on my life and the living example he set I will always carry with me. 

My Mom is the strongest woman I know. She was a school teacher and is a lifelong musician. I can thank her for my love of music, science, and reading, and credit her with my inspiration to pursue human biology in college.

I met the love of my life in 2016 at a punk rock show that my band was playing. We became Facebook friends – where it was easy to stay in touch when she moved out of state – and started dating in 2018 shortly after she moved back to Utah. Things definitely clicked, and we were married the next year. We are both lovers of nature, music, travel, and Star Wars.

Music has always been an important part of my life, thanks to my Mom who got me involved at a young age. I began playing the piano in 1st grade, the violin in 3rd, and learned the viola in 8th grade. When I was 15, my parents surprised me with a bass guitar for Christmas, which I have now been playing for 25 years.

I’ve played in many local bands over the years, including the past nine years in Utah, and currently am a singer/songwriter in a local SLC punk band. I can think of no better analogy for my platform than punk rock: fast, a little rebellious, skeptical of establishment, but focused on helping the community become a stronger place for everyone.