I hold a Bachelor of Science Degree from Charter Oak State College in Newington, CT. I majored in Communications.
I am an avid baseball fan and still play hardball! I play in the Kansas City Men's Senior Baseball League. My personal hobbies include weightlifting and reading. My favorite books are historical biographies and current events books (I can't resist those books wanna-be candidates publish right before running for office).
I am a member of the Advisory Boards of the following Kansas City-area colleges:
Brown Mackie College (Lenexa, KS campus)
Vatterott College (Kansas CIty, MO campus)
Colorado Technical University (North Kansas City, MO campus)
Primarily, my duties with the colleges are to review and provide feedback on both current and proposed programs and curriculum. In addition to working with the faculty, I work with students who are preparing for graduation by conducting mock interviews and consulting with them to improve thier interviewing and job search skills.
I am a regular guest speaker at classes on each campus.
I am on the Board of Directors for the Heart of America Staffing Association for 2005, which represents both large and small businesses in the employment services industry.
I have also worked as a financial advisor who specializes in retirement planning. In early 2002, I was interviewed as a featured guest on the nationally-syndicated television program "On Main Street". The topic of the show I appeared on was retirement planning, the episode was named "Plan Now for a Happy Retirement".
My prior experience includes both business management and nine years working as a journalist. I have worked professionally in television, radio and newspaper journalism and have been a reporter, producer, anchor and news director. I also hosted a public affairs and financial advice radio program for a year in Kansas City called "The Independent Perspective".
I work with various community groups that promote employment and personal self-sufficiency. Among these groups is the Women's Employment Network in Kansas City, which works to provide women with the education, skills and opportunity to provide for themselves and their family through gainful employment. I consult with WEN's staff regarding cirriculum and help WEN's clients by providing mock interviews to help prepare them better prepare themselves to find work.
I am also an active member of the Employment Assistance Resource Network in Kansas City. EARN is a partnership of non-profit groups, charities, government agencies, educational institutions and employers that works to match those in need of employment with opportunities to work.
I am a member of the Missouri Farm Bureau.
I briefly worked as Executive Director of the Jackson County (MO) Libertarian Party. Prior to that, I served two terms as Vice Chair of the Cass County Libertarian Party, where I helped build one of the most active county LP organizations in Missouri. I was also the Project Coordinator of the LP 2004 Presidential Straw Poll. Over 18,000 votes were cast in the poll between January of 2002 and April of 2004, making the project the largest of its kind in Libertarian history.
Every political group needs candidates, and I have both worked on campaigns and have been a candidate as well. I ran for Belton Charter Commissioner and was the Public Relations Coordinator for the Rick Bailie for Presiding Commissioner (of Cass County) campaign, both in 2002.
In June of 2003, I organized and hosted a Libertarian Party Presidential candidates' forum that was broadcast nationwide on C-SPAN.
Also in 2003, I was selected to receive the "Champion of Freedom" award from the Missouri Libertarian Party.
In 2004, I was among the speakers at the Libertarian National Convention. I spoke during the nomination speeches, which were broadcast live on C-SPAN.
I was the Libertarian nominee for Missouri Lieutenant Governor in 2004. I received 53, 563 votes. That year, I became the first Libertarian in Missouri's history to be endorsed by a statewide newspaper (the Missouri State Post).
In April of 2005, I was appointed to Grandview's Transportation Committee by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen. My term expires in December of 2006.