I was born in San Antonio, Texas. My father was a core analyst and salesman, my mother was a bookkeeper and secretary. I've worked every job from concrete construction, washing dishes, and waiting tables to working at a nonprofit, serving as an ethics desk officer and running a business. I served in the United States Army as an infantryman, and deployed to Iraq twice, the 2003 tour resulting in a Purple Heart. I attended Catholic universities for my bachelor's (DePaul in Chicago) and master's (Trinity Washington in D.C.), then fell in love in Washington, D.C. with a native Louisvillian named Catherine. We began the move back to Kentucky for work and to start a family in late 2015. She is a Republican. I am a Democrat. This is America. We have three wonderful children: Robert, William, and Emily. I went to work with my wife’s family in restaurants and real estate across the region, and am currently the Vice President of that company - Druther’s. During the pandemic, I started a MBA at the University of Louisville, which I completed the coursework for in August 2022. I also wrote a book of poems called The Bracken Road, and am helping produce a documentary film about my friend Steven Fromholz called The Man with the Big Hat. I round out my time by serving as Chairman of the Board of the World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana, as well as producing films and content with the newly-formed Flintlock Pictures, founded by actor and friend John Hensley.