Personal Information

About Me

I was born in Hollywood, California but grew up in Ecuador and Mexico where my folks were missionaries, doing community development and training leaders and doing church planting. Though I'm white on the outside, on the inside I'm a combination of fritada (from Ecuador) and tacos al pastor (from Mexico). I saw first-hand how education can make a difference in socio-economic standing. I grew up speaking Spanish, having people be a priority over productivity. Even after having been in the US since 1981 I often still feel like an outsider, though technically I'm a "third-culture" person, not feeling culturally truly Latin American or US American.

I believe in God, as a Christian. I have faith, but also doubts! If I'm known for prejudice rather than extravagant love for people, then I don't think I'm living my life correctly. I believe the Christian church should be known for its love for all people without prejudice, compassion for those in need, creation care, and true justice. I believe people should not be discriminated against because of gender, race, or sexual orientation, and so describe myself using the pronouns he/him/el ("el" is "him" in Spanish). I think that systemic racism has been and continues to be part of our society, to the detriment of us all. I believe Black Lives Matter, and if as a country we felt that Japanese Americans were entitled to reparations after WW II, then we should figure out how to meaningfully provide reparations for Black Americans. I believe the government should provide for its citizens, though the burgeoning national debt makes me nervous. I would prefer we spend less on defense and more on education.

My hobbies are playing the guitar, basketball, and riding my Brompton folding bike. I like trying new things, enjoy travel, and would like to visit all corners of the globe. I recently went on a 700 mile bike trip and learned to solve Rubik's cube, which I previously thought only smart people could do. While I can juggle and ride the unicycle, I'd like to learn how to do them at the same time. I'd like to do a flip off a high trapeze and scuba dive in the deep ocean, and take an extended bike trip though some country where I don't speak the language. I'd like to see the sunrise from the basket of a hot-air balloon. Some years ago I went skydiving to celebrate my 40th birthday.

I've been married since 1991 to my wife Desiree and I've got three children: Justice, Forrest, and Tirzah. Check out some family pictures.

A favorite stanza of poetry, from Robert Frost's Two Tramps in Mud Time:

But yield who will to their separation,

My object in living is to unite

My avocation and my vocation

As my two eyes make one in sight.

Only where love and need are one,

And the work is play for mortal stakes,

Is the deed ever really done

For Heaven and the future's sakes.

I'm privileged to work at a job where I feel like what I do can make a lasting impact in the lives of my students. I hope to continue to improve what I do.