I was born in San Diego in 1990 and grew up in Rancho Bernardo. I received my education within Poway Unified School District, attending Turtleback Elementary School, Bernardo Heights Middle School, and Rancho Bernardo High School. At RBHS, I was very active in the music program as a percussionist with marching band, wind ensemble, and symphony orchestra. Drumline was my favorite and I was elected section leader my senior year playing tenors. In addition, I spent two summers in Europe performing classical music with fellow students from all over Southern California. I was also very active with the Boy Scouts of America and eventually received my Eagle Scout award before attending college.
From 2008 to 2012, I attended the University of California in Santa Barbara to pursue a bachelors degree in history with a minor in English. My senior thesis was written on the Genocide Convention of 1948 and the role the United States played in its implementation. I also performed with the UCSB Wind Ensemble for two years and served as a Community Service Officer with the University of California Police Department. Upon graduating from UCSB, I knew that I wanted to become an educator.
I moved back to San Diego in the summer of 2012 and began a two year masters program at the University of San Diego. In addition to achieving a masters degree in curriculum and instruction, I also received my single subject teaching credential in social science and English. In the Spring of 2013, I taught at Kearny High School (Digital Media and Design) in a world history class in my first student teaching position. The following semester was spent student teaching at West Hills High School. In addition to teaching, I carried out a two-phase action research plan, which I presented at the annual Action Research Conference in May 2014 at the University of San Diego.
I began my professional career teaching humanities at Del Lago Academy for four and a half years. During my time in Escondido, I taught 10th grade English, World History, AP English (Language and Composition), Government, and Economics. In 2018, I moved up north and began working at Odyssey STEM Academy, a brand new school in Lakewood, CA. Odyssey operated using a similar model as Del Lago: students moved in cohorts designed to enrich their learning in various fields of science, as well as prepare them for life through the integration of a robust Internship program. I tracked with the students starting their freshman year, through the pandemic, and up until their graduation, teaching a number of courses: English 9-11, AP English (Language and Composition), World History, and US History.
During the 2022-2023 school year, I sought to desire a move closer to home in order to be closer with my family. While I did not have any Immediate plans following my departure from Odyssey, a sudden opportunity made itself available, and I soon found myself teaching British Literature to a group of eager sophomores at Orange Lutheran High School. Here I remain teaching English courses and grateful for the opportunity to have an educational environment that allows me to deepen my pursuit of faith and relationship with God.
I come from a very large family – I am the oldest of six kids, the others of which now reside in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2014, I was married in Maui, Hawaii, and my wife and I spent the next couple of years traveling the world with the free time we had. Today, we have three beautiful children (two boys, one girl) added on to our family, and we reside in Orange County, where we frequent Disneyland.
I have many hobbies I have developed over the years and continue to indulge in today. I enjoy camping and hiking – there is something to be said for getting in tune with nature. I love to travel as well; it is my goal to travel to every continent (three down, four to go). I also enjoy watching and playing sports. Growing up in San Diego, I have always been a die hard Padres and Chargers fan. Due to the Chargers' tumultuous departure to Los Angeles, I switched colors and now support the Atlanta Falcons (my stepfather is from Atlanta). In addition, I enjoy watching German soccer (Bundesliga) and my favorite team is Bayern Munich. My other favorite hobby is watching movies, old and new.