Professional Background

• B.S. Geography, Pennsylvania State University
• M.A. International Relations, Tufts University

Military service

• Army National Guard, 1996-2000
• 11B Light Infantryman
• U.S. Marine Corps, 2002-2022
• CH-46E Pilot, 150 combat hours, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq, 2006-2007
• Air Traffic Control Officer, Company Commander, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, 2012
• Marine Aviation Liaison to U.S. Air Force, Operation Inherent Resolve, Qatar, 2016-2017

Why I want to serve veterans

”As the son of immigrants, I deeply desired to serve my country in gratitude for what it gave to my family, out of admiration for the ideals upon which it was founded, and as a way to honor the veterans that paid for my freedom. I was drawn to the Marines because I wanted to be amongst The Few, The Proud… always faithful, and always READY. I thought that just meant working out hard all the time.

Through combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, I realized that mental strength is far more important than physical strength when it comes to combat readiness. Yet mental health seemed to be almost an afterthought when it came to military training. Mental wounds followed many of my fellow combat veterans home, and I saw first hand how the military simply didn’t have the resources to treat everyone. The lack of treatment had indirect effects on the combat readiness of the force. I saw a great need that wasn’t being met, both on active duty and beyond.

In 2018, I teamed up with a few other combat veterans and founded Head Strong & Ready to provide licensed clinical mental health services to veterans and their family members that the military doesn’t have the capacity to care for. Each year since inception, HSR has increased the number of clinical therapy sessions provided to Marines, Navy Sailors, Army Soldiers, Air Force Airmen, and their family members from multiple military installations. We want to make sure that they are mentally prepared not just for military life and combat deployments, but also for the next chapter of life… because mental strength is combat readiness, and combat readiness is readiness for life.