About Me

Welcome to "About Me," a microscopic look at how I fit into the Web of Life, otherwise known as Biology or Life Sciences.

I am blessed to have seen and done some pretty cool things:

1.  Joined the Kansas Army National Guard and completed Basic Training in 1986,

2.  Graduated from White Rock High School in Burr Oak, KS, in 1987,

3.  Earned dual B.S. degrees in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology at Kansas State University in 1992,

4.  Earned an M.S. degree in Biology at KSU in 1996,

5.  Conducted research in a federally-funded research lab, published multiple peer-reviewed papers in   scientific journals, and presented research at national and international meetings,

6.  Worked for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks as a public land manager/biologist,

7.  Completed Kansas Law Enforcement Training in 1999,

8.  Taught wanna-be Army officers for the Officer Candidate School in the early 2000's,

9.  Retired from the Army in 2006 at the rank of Major after 20 years of service (20 years ago already!), as the commander of the Reserved-Forces Training Site Maintenance in Salina,

10.  Ran my 1st full marathon (26.2 miles in just under 4 hr without walking a single step) in 2024,

11.  and completed my 1st year of teaching at Rock Hills in 2026!

What I am most proud of, though, are my 4 beautiful daughters (and 3 grandchildren), and the fact that I've had the privilege of continuing my family's legacy of raising kids and livestock in Jewell County for 144 years.  For the last 22 years, I've lived in same house I grew up in, and anytime I'm not at school, you'll find me taking care of 400+ animals: cows, calves, sheep, horses, chickens, and a donkey!  If you need community service hours, I have animals to move, fence to fix, and trees to cut (the pay isn't very good, but I'll feed you well)!

I am proud to part of the Rock Hills team, but despite my age-advantage, I am only in my second year of teaching...and I have a lot to learn.  Please be patient with me as I continue to get better!  If you have concerns or questions, please let me know.