How long have you been a resident of the Highlands?

My family moved to the Highlands in May 2014.  This was a return to the neighborhood for my wife Deirdre, who grew up on Brandywine. 

What do you love most about living in the Highlands?

The wonderful sense of community and being surrounded by green space.

How long have you served on the BOD?

Since November 2014.

What inspires you to serve on the BOD?

I’m most driven by the opportunity to give back what little I can to a community that has given so much to me and my family.  In addition, I’m inspired by the amazing work that the dedicated and talented staff at the Rec do every day.  I am grateful and humbled by the opportunity to support their efforts.

What is one thing you would like the Highlands Community to know about you?

I want the community to know that I want to hear from you.  How can we make the Highlands Recreation District a better place for everybody in the Highlands community? 

What is the most important challenge for the District in the coming years?

The Rec’s aging infrastructure is a huge challenge.  Our facilities are over 60 years old and showing their age.  It is going to be critical for us to partner with the community to understand how we can improve the Rec Center to support a changing community with ever evolving needs.  Second, but not unrelated, we need to look at ways of providing beneficial and enriching programs and services for people of all ages, while delivering our core services like EEC, ASP, and aquatics with a high level of operational excellence.

What is one positive thing you gained during the COVID-19 pandemic? What do you look forward to after the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us?  

The pandemic has shown us all how resilient we are, including the Rec District.  For me personally, I have valued the time at home with my family.  Since we are all home, I’ve loved seeing community members on walks, runs, and bike rides.  The pandemic has been a great reminder of how vibrant our community is, even if we cannot come together in the ways we traditionally have.  With that said, I can’t wait until we can enjoy community concerts, holiday gatherings at the Rec Center, and our beloved community 4th of July celebration.