My family put down roots in Johnson City after Hurricane Katrina.
My dad served our nation in the Coast Guard, followed by the VA. My mom, an educator and advocate for Adult Education, has worked at ETSU for more than a decade.
During the day, I’m a Software Engineer who solves hard problems. I’ve worked at Siemens, Amazon’s Prime Video, and VRChat – places where clear goals, transparency, and follow-through matter.
Outside work, I’ve taken on a community advocate role – taking leadership roles in initiatives to shine a light on government actions, protect our communities from harmful enterprises, and keep our city’s success in the hands of local businesses.
I live with my High School Sweetheart and wife of 8 years, Jessica – as well as our kids, Bash and Charlotte – in Boones Creek. (Honorable mention to our rescue dog, Buddy)
I’m not from a political family. I don’t have real estate interests or friends in high places.
I’m a neighbor with a vision – local government should be open, responsive, and focused on results.
If you’re looking for something different, I’m your guy.
Community First, Always.
I didn’t intend to run for office. With kids at home, a career in full swing, and a multitude of upstanding local voices ready to take the mantle, it didn’t feel necessary.
And then those voices were silenced.
When residents went to their elected officials, they weren’t just dismissed.
They were actively ignored.
I know because I was there – fighting for those residents.
- I worked with national news outlets on Sean Williams awareness.
- I wrote the resolution on Bitcoin Mining in Johnson City.
- I published the Bar Hours ordinance when the city tried to keep it quiet.
- I published the 2024 Community Survey when the city tried to hide it.
- I moderated the Johnson City Town Hall when City Hall stopped talking.
If the city deprives you of your representation, the remedy is clear: reclaim it.
FAQs
What’s your platform?
Transparency, Integrity, Progress.
Those may sound like filler words, but to me, they represent the essence of a City Commissioner. Commissioners are not legislators or governors in the traditional sense – they do not manage day-to-day operations. Their role is a conduit – understanding resident concerns, understanding operational realities, and negotiating priorities that align with both. A successful commissioner is not a subject matter expert; they are a diligent leader who can find and understand the experts.
Okay, Let’s Rephrase. What are your priorities?
Transparency, Integrity, Progress.
Step One: Rebuild trust with our community.
- Ask the uncomfortable questions.
- Meet residents where they are. Community roundtables, local organizations, and – yes – Town Halls.
- Transparency first, unprompted. $10M contract with Flock? Upfront plan to audit usage on an advertised schedule and inform residents of findings.
Step Two: Strengthen our small business community.
- Inform residents of the data – not the dogma – justifying a 1AM Last Call.
- If the data justifies it, explore Weekend Extended Hours. Uncork Johnson City night life – with guardrails – in partnership with local establishments.
- Proactively partner with affected businesses to adapt.
Step Three: Address the Housing Affordability Crisis.
- In 2024, Tennessee passed HB 2623, allowing cities to enact Attainable Housing Initiatives. Johnson City has not yet taken advantage of this law. I will urge the Commission to work hand-in-hand with the Regional Planning Commission to enact an AHI in our area.
- Community assistance exists, but it is disconnected. I will urge responsible policy centered on community empowerment. I will urge the city to curate a registry of qualified preservation buyers (nonprofits, housing authorities) – and require sale notices for 10+ unit properties. By connecting organizations operating in the public interest to high-impact properties as they hit the market, we can weave a net of long-term affordability.
- Short Term Rentals (AirBNB) -> Long Term Strain. Single family homes are for Johnson City families first. To ensure smart growth, Johnson City must understand and regulate this industry – Johnson City has no land use regulations for STRs. Tax revenue generated by STRs should be itemized, with a portion earmarked to fund incremental housing growth.
Where do you stand on the Johnson City Police Department?
Professional, transparent, and trusted Law Enforcement is integral to a well-run city.
With the right approach, I believe that the Johnson City Police Department can become that department.
I have read every page of the Daigle Report, the Doe Lawsuit, the Dahl lawsuit, the Evans lawsuit, and participated in both a day-shift and night-shift ride along to understand how our department functions. Unequivocally: There are areas for improvement.
- On Homelessness: Continuum of Care. Whack-a-mole doesn’t work – it’s inhumane, it ties up enforcement resources, and it does not produce measurable results. A trespass / public camping interaction should end with an ARCH connection.
- On Community Policing: Bias, whether explicit or implicit, exists in the JCPD today. I have witnessed unjustifiable interactions based on assumptions alone – race, income, neighborhood. Communities should be policed by officers that know, represent, and value them.
- On Transparency and Accountability: Our department must open its ranks – not close them – on matters of public trust.