Biography

I am very excited to be working at Hawthorn Academy!

I grew up in a city called Oceanside, California. It's about 45 minutes north of San Diego. I had the wonderful opportunity of living a few miles away from the beach where I spent most of my summers, weekends, and evenings. I had no idea growing up that my little city was a vacation spot for many out-of-towners until I was in my teens. If I wasn't at the beach, I spent most of my free time with my first love, a 1966 Ford Mustang. Some of my fondest memories were made under that hood, replacing rusted car parts.

My interest in teaching actually began after completing high school. In college, I discovered that some of my most enjoyable classes had less to do with the subjects themselves, and more to do with my professors' engaging teaching methods. I was fascinated by the talent they had to create meaningful connections with their students. My first formal experience with teaching occurred during the few years I spent living abroad in the Philippines, where I tried to apply some of the teaching skills I observed from my professors. Upon my return to the states, I decided a career in education was the path for me.

I received my undergraduate degree in History and English Education from Brigham Young University Idaho. I recently completed my masters degree in Educational Administration from Argosy University. My wife Stephanie and I have four boys, ages 12, 11, 7, and 5. It can be a busy house at times.

This is my seventh year at Hawthorn. I am excited to be a part of this school's bright future in education.