EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts, University of Chicago
Master of Liberal Arts, University of Chicago
Doctorate of Education, Creighton University (expected December 2020)
POSITION AND YEARS AT LATIN
Dean of Students, 11 and 12 grades
I have worked at Latin for a little more than two years.
Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.”
- Jane Goodall
What are your favorite things about Latin?I have many favorite things about Latin, but a definite highlight for me is the student performances at our upper school gatherings. Not only am I duly impressed by the incredible talents of our students, but I am always moved
by the enthusiastic applause and standing ovations those performances invariably earn. Students supporting each other has to be among the greatest of Latin’s traditions.
What are the best parts of your job?I appreciate that my work is done most often in partnership with others. Whether partnering with students, with parents, with teachers, with staff or with some combination of
those groups, my work is almost always being done with an underlying spirit of togetherness. The nature of my work regularly affirms what a wonderful community exists at Latin.
Why did you decide that you wanted to work at a school?In both high school and college, I had the good fortune of administrators who helped me navigate some really difficult moments. It made all the difference to me as a student and as a person, and I remain enormously grateful for their considerable efforts on my behalf. In many ways, my work supporting students is an attempt to “pay it forward.”
What professions, other than being a teacher, could you also see yourself doing?I grew up in Fort Myers, FL, and have always dreamed of being a charter fishing boat captain along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Spending my days helping people experience the thrill of hooking tarpon, snook and redfish would be a great way to make a living!
What was the last good book you read?I am a big fan of Clive Cussler novels, especially his Dirk Pitt series. I admit they are not very cerebral books, but surely we should all make time for purely fun reads, too!
What are your hobbies and interests?My family and I really enjoy theater in Chicago, and we try to catch as many shows as we can. We also enjoy being active, and so we are often playing backyard sports as a family. My wife and I even started taking an adult gymnastics class together. She is an experienced and still-very-talented gymnast, and I try hard!
What was your first job?My first “real” job was working in a tuxedo shop during high school. I loved that job because people who rent tuxedos are typically very excited by their coming wedding, prom, cruise or other fun event. It was pretty easy to work in a place where the clients were consistently happy.
What's your favorite place you've ever visited?I love Sanibel Island, FL. To me, it is paradise. Warm gulf breezes, palm trees swaying, breathtaking sunsets ... it’s definitely my favorite place to visit.
What's the best advice you've ever heard?“It’s hard to soar like an eagle when you’re surrounded by turkeys.” It made me laugh as a kid to hear my dad say this, but now I appreciate the blunt wisdom of the saying. I remain ever mindful of the influences those around me are having and try to keep it as positive as possible. Luckily, I have not encountered too many “turkeys” in my life!
What are your guiding principles?How great would it be if we worked together to make appropriately supportive, encouraging spaces so that each of our best selves could flourish? My sense is that we all have strengths and talents we would love to display if given the right opportunity and environment to do so. A kind word, a smile, an invitation, a nudge ... these things do not require anything more than a willingness to offer them and a sense that the person receiving them is worthy of our effort. Maintaining that willingness and seeing that worthiness are two of my guiding principles.
Our Voices
- Around School
- Do You Know
- Faculty & Staff
- Our Voices
- upper school