I believe gratitude is a choice, an action and an experience; one that allows me to offer thanks to the people who have shaped and guided my journey.

In today’s divided times, we need more places and institutions that bring people together on the common ground of gratitude. Thanks-Giving Square and The Thanks-Giving Foundation are committed to building common ground for diverse people to meet each other, learn from each other and celebrate each other. I joined the board of directors to help grow this important common space for the public good.

I’ve also devoted my career to creating and protecting common spaces for communities to enjoy. As the North Texas Area Director for The Trust for Public Land, I’m on a steadfast mission to bring parks, trails and greenspaces within a 10-minute walk of every DFW resident.

I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree from Baylor University where I studied economics and environmental science. I graduated from the University of Glasgow as a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar with a Master of Science in economic development.

I’m an avid backpacker, completing a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2009, and a coast-to-coast hike across Scotland in 2011. My wife Rachel and I live in Dallas with our daughter.