I was born in Merced, California.  Other than the years I spent in college, I have lived there all my life. I have been a teacher in Merced for over eight years.  I taught at Weaver Middle School for six years and have spent the last two school years teaching 10th grade English at El Capitan High School.  All throughout my time as a teacher I have coached youth football and baseball.  In 2016, I was elected to the Merced City Council as a representative of District 1. While on the city council I helped form the Arts and Culture Commission, a city-wide cannabis ordinace, and served on numerous subcommittees related to our budget, finances, and parks. I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge while serving on the city council, and I seek to grow in experience, insight and acumen as I attempt to serve as mayor. 

I suppose you could say that I am an independent.  I have never believed in political parties, nor have I ever desired to belong to one.  No matter what the issue is, I usually find my own path.  In Merced, I have been told that I have liberal views.  However, I spent five years in Los Angeles going to college, and down there, everyone told me I was conservative.  Maybe, I'm just somewhere in the middle, but it's my middle.