I was born in Los Angeles and raised in both Southern and Northern California, but Southern California is home. I’ve spent most of my life here in San Diego and now in the Coachella Valley and this place has shaped who I am and how I see the world.

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For most of my childhood, my mother was a single parent. She worked relentlessly to support her family, and she never lost sight of one thing: education mattered. She believed that if her children had access to a good education, they could build a better life than the one she had been given. That belief stayed with me, and it’s why education has always been personal, not political.

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My father was a very different presence. I was born late in his life and didn’t know him well, but his influence was unmistakable. He was shaped by World War II and by his desire to fight fascism as a pilot in the 389th Bomb Group in Europe. Even in his absence, that sense of duty of standing up when something is fundamentally wrong left a deep mark on me.

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When I was sixteen, my mother left. From that point on, I raised myself. I got up every morning, went to school, worked, and learned how to rely on myself. I put myself through college working three jobs. There was no safety net, no shortcuts just persistence and a belief that hard work should lead somewhere.

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That experience shaped everything that followed.

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I spent part of my career in public education, including serving as an Assistant Superintendent in San Diego County. That work mattered to me because it aligned with the values I grew up with: that education opens doors, that opportunity should not depend on zip code, and that public institutions should help people move forward, not leave them behind.

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Later, my work took me into government and the energy sector, but the through-line never changed. The work I do has to mean something. It has to improve people’s lives through affordability, access, and opportunity. Government has a role to play in that. Not by controlling people’s lives, but by supporting them when they need it and creating the conditions for them to succeed.

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I realized the system isn’t working the way it should when I looked at the growing gap between wealth and poverty in the richest country in the world. When I see people working full time and still struggling to get by. When I see homelessness on a scale that should be unacceptable to all of us. I believe that anyone who works hard should have the chance at a stable, fulfilling life the ability to afford a home if they choose, to raise a family, and to live in a community that rewards effort and responsibility.

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What frustrates me about politics today is how disconnected it has become from those basic realities. Too many politicians, Democrats and Republicans alike measure success by how much money they raise. They brag about it. They chase it. And in doing so, they lose sight of the people they are supposed to represent.

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That’s not why I’m running.

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I believe representation means listening — to everyone. Democrats, Republicans, independents. Red, blue, purple, and every shade in between. It means refusing to reduce disagreement to insults and name-calling. It means focusing less on what we’re running against and more on what we’re running for.

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In my professional life, I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about pretending you have all the answers. When I make decisions that people I respect disagree with, I explain my reasoning, I listen, and I stay open to changing my mind when presented with facts. But when a decision is made, it’s made with intention and accountability and I stand by it.

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When something goes wrong on my watch, I accept responsibility. I listen to the people around me, make a plan to fix what’s broken, and move forward. I don’t dwell in the past. I focus on what comes next.

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There is one line I will not cross: I will not take money from anyone trying to buy my influence. I’m not running as an establishment candidate. I’m running to do the job the way it should be done — with integrity, independence, and a clear focus on making people’s lives better.

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I didn’t grow up with privilege. I didn’t arrive here by accident. I’m running because I believe public service should still mean something and because this community deserves leadership that is serious, steady, and accountable.