I was born and raised in Connecticut, with a move to Washington, D.C. for college, where I graduated from George Washington with degrees in Literature and Religion. I also spent time out west doing a semester long outdoor leadership program with NOLS. After GW, I began my nomadic life, working and traveling in the States and abroad for two years before landing at the University of Colorado in Boulder for a Master’s in Religion. I focused on African-Diaspora traditions, and was fortunate enough to spend significant time in Cuba doing field research for my Master’s thesis. Somewhere between that thesis and more time in Cuba, I decided to not pursue my Ph.D. Instead, I pursued a teacher’s certification in Secondary Education: English 6-12, first in Colorado and then in California.
After a seminal start to my teaching in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, California, I moved abroad to begin a career in international education, particularly IB and Experiential education. My wife and I lived in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and then returned to the States for one year, where I was an education coordinator for an Outward Bound program for adjudicated youth. Then it was off to Vienna, Austria and then Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. We returned to the states to live in Charleston, South Carolina, and then most recently in Boca Raton, Florida, where I was the IB Coordinator and English Department chair for a private school there.
I have taught every level and type of English from grades 6-12; courses in Humanities, Religion, and World Cultures; as well as leading faculty in curriculum, literacy, and accreditation work. I have also led school outdoor and experiential programs, with a highlight being the outdoor program in Tanzania.
My wife, Keely, and I have been happy to end our nomadic lifestyle with a long-term commitment to Headwaters and Austin. Our son, Cord, is a Swift on the Creek Campus and our daughter, Cleo, is a Bluebird on the Springs Campus. Keely is an assistant guide for the Phoenix classroom and has a fascinating background in raptor conservation, both internationally and here in the States. If you ask, I will tell you repeatedly how cool she is.