Early Life
I grew up in Grass Valley and have lived here most of my life. I was a Nevada Union High School graduate, actively involved in local clubs and organizations (like the Lions Club and Boy Scouts), and made a name for myself as a successful track and field athlete. After attending UC Berkeley to study Sociology and Chico State to study Kinesiology, I moved back in 2012 and have since been living in downtown Grass Valley.
Giving back
After moving back to Grass Valley, I’ve been actively involved in giving back to the community that has given me so much. I opened my own business in 2018, where I work with mostly retired members of the community.
I’ve spent the last 7 years as a coach at Nevada Union High School, helping work with kids of various different sports. I’m also currently serving as Board President of the Sierra Gold Masters Track and Field team.
I love this community and want to see it continue to thrive. Current problems such as COVID-19 and the PG&E PSPS events have had a major impact on the community and likely won’t disappear overnight.
I want to help the City Council, local businesses, and residents be better prepared to overcome these challenges in the future, and work to create more effective strategies, until these problems are no longer a major public safety or economic concern.
I plan to listen to the community and work to serve the best interests of Grass Valley and its residents.
My Vision for Grass Valley
The world is quickly changing; from the unpredictability of pandemics, climate change, and wildfires… to the new era of technology, industry, and on-demand services. As the world changes, Grass Valley needs to change as well. What’s most important is HOW it changes.
I get to talk to local community members daily, and the same sentiments often come up when asked “Why do you live in Grass Valley?”. Many echo that they love the small-town feel, they love the location, the rivers, the parks, and the community. They live here because it’s NOT a city (Sacramento, San Fransisco, Los Angeles), but also because it offers so much that a city provides. Good food, live music, countless events, street fairs, and more!
But, in talking with the community, I’ve heard another half of the story. Many love the city and love the area, but they can’t afford it. There isn’t enough affordable housing to raise a family here, nor are there enough jobs paying a competitive wage to make it worth trying.
As a City Council Member, I plan to work with developers and contractors to help strike a balance between bringing new growth and development to the city, while preserving the beauty and feel of our small town (the reason so many people live here, to begin with).
It’s also important to decide what types of job growth we focus on, and how to attract those companies to the area (more accessible high-speed internet is a must). We have a wonderful area with plenty of currently unoccupied buildings already set up for tech and manufacturing businesses, but new-coming businesses are going to be reluctant to establish in Grass Valley without reliable power and internet services at work and at home.
These are some of the issues that I believe should continue to be addressed. I believe my experience with and understanding of technology, mobile business and how companies are changing, I can help share my opinions with the council on what might entice future business to set up in our town, and help encourage healthy job growth and an expansion of our working-age population.
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