Dedicated Leadership for La Verne's Prosperity

Committed to fostering vibrant community growth and responsive governance tailored to La Verne District 1's unique needs.

A group of smiling people posing outdoors, some holding small U.S. flags, in a lush, green area with trees and sunlight.
A group of smiling people posing outdoors, some holding small U.S. flags, in a lush, green area with trees and sunlight.

My La Verne Story


The Brilliance of La Verne is That We All Have a Story

A man in a suit standing at the bottom of a set of steps leading up to a building with white columns and a red-tiled roof. The building has lights under the overhang and the sky in the background is partly cloudy.

I am a first-generation La Verne resident. I was born in Los Angeles, then lived in Compton, Inglewood, Hesperia, then Victorville, California. In 2003, I moved to La Verne from Victorville. This is my La Verne story.

My La Verne Introduction

I did not grow up in La Verne. I grew up in the High Desert and graduated from Victor Valley High School.

I was an honor roll student, vice president of the student body, a deacon in my church, worked nearly 35 hours each week, and competed as a varsity athlete in football and track. Even then, I had an ambitious goal: to become qualified to serve as President of the United States.

Raised in poverty by parents who encouraged big dreams—and inspired by my father, a Navy veteran with a deep appreciation for public service and politics—I believed that if I prepared myself to be qualified for the highest office in the country, I would be prepared for any opportunity life presented.

Originally, I was recruited by the University of Redlands to play football. During the recruiting process, a coach made an observation that changed my life. With a roster of more than 120 players, he explained that earning a starting position as a freshman would be nearly impossible. He contrasted that with the opportunity available at the University of La Verne, where a freshman could realistically compete for playing time.

That conversation changed everything.

Although I never dreamed of playing professional football, I did want to compete. More importantly, I wanted to attend a university where I could grow as a leader while pursuing my larger ambitions.

I contacted the football coaches at the University of La Verne, sent my game film, visited campus, and immediately fell in love with a beautiful place I had never known existed. Within months, I applied, was accepted, and began a journey that would shape the rest of my life.

A young woman and a young man walking together at a celebration event, wearing sashes that say "Homecoming Queen" and "Homecoming King" respectively. The woman is smiling with a tiara, and the man is dressed in a leather jacket and formal pants, walking confidently amid balloons and flowers.
A young woman and a young man walking together at a celebration event, wearing sashes that say "Homecoming Queen" and "Homecoming King" respectively. The woman is smiling with a tiara, and the man is dressed in a leather jacket and formal pants, walking confidently amid balloons and flowers.

My La Verne Transformation

Coming to La Verne transformed me.

For the first time in my life, I was immersed in a community filled with people from different backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and experiences. My understanding of the world expanded dramatically. My assumptions were challenged. My worldview changed forever.

I played football, remained active in student organizations, built lifelong friendships, and experienced the kind of community that encourages people to become the best versions of themselves. The University embraced me so much, I was even elected to the Homecoming court.

When I graduated, I realized something important: I could never go back to wanting anything less than what I had found here.

So I stayed.

I attended law school, built my legal career, opened my own law practice, founded a nonprofit organization, became a university professor, and eventually started my family—all here in and around La Verne.

I've traveled extensively throughout the United States and internationally. I've seen remarkable places around the world. Yet very few places offer as extraordinary a place to call home as La Verne.

I am profoundly grateful that this city became part of my story.

A man holding a child in front of a wall covered with colorful drawings and paintings, most of which appear to be children's artwork, including rainbows, characters, and various designs.
A man holding a child in front of a wall covered with colorful drawings and paintings, most of which appear to be children's artwork, including rainbows, characters, and various designs.

My La Verne Legacy

The same reasons that drew me to La Verne are the reasons I chose to raise my family here.

I wanted my children to grow up surrounded by excellence—by strong schools, engaged neighbors, beautiful parks, and a community that values education, service, and opportunity.

Could I have lived somewhere less expensive? Absolutely. I could have returned to the High Desert and enjoyed a larger home and a different lifestyle.

Instead, I chose La Verne.

I chose its values.

I chose its heritage.

I chose its culture.

I wanted my children to experience the quality of life that makes this community so special. I wanted them to learn from a city that expects people to care for one another and invest in the next generation.

There are many wonderful places to live, but very few that combine the sense of community, safety, education, and opportunity that La Verne offers.

That's why I stayed.

A man in a gray suit, white shirt, and purple tie giving a speech or presentation on stage, wearing glasses with short hair and a beard, with a banner or screen behind him.

Why I Am Ready to Serve

I love La Verne enough to believe it can become even better.

As someone who was welcomed into this community, I understand what it feels like to see La Verne through fresh eyes. I also understand what it means to become part of its traditions, values, and history.

That perspective gives me the ability to bridge conversations that too often become divided.

I understand the experiences of newcomers because I was once one. I understand the perspectives of longtime residents because this city has become my home. I speak both languages, and I believe that allows me to build understanding rather than division.

Professionally, I have spent my career listening to people, solving difficult problems, advocating for families, and bringing opposing sides together. Personally, I have devoted my life to education, public service, and strengthening the community that has given so much to me.

My goal is simple: preserve everything that makes La Verne exceptional while ensuring every resident has the ability to live out their dream-life and is treated with dignity, fairness, and respect.

La Verne welcomed me many years ago.

Serving this city is my opportunity to give something back.

A person in academic regalia standing in front of a projection screen at a graduation ceremony.
Smiling man in a blue suit with a white shirt, red tie, and sunglasses, standing outdoors against a clear blue sky.

Why I Am Ready to Serve in This Way

I am running for City Council because this is the office I have been preparing for my entire adult life, even before I knew it.

When I first came to La Verne, I was a young man looking for an opportunity. This city gave me one. It gave me an education. It gave me lifelong friendships. It gave me a career. It gave me a place to build a law practice, teach generations of students, serve my community, and raise my family. Everything that matters most in my life was either built here or made possible because of what La Verne invested in me.

Over the years, I have dedicated my life to understanding how communities succeed. As a professor, I study institutions and leadership. As an attorney, I solve difficult problems, advocate for people, and make decisions based on facts rather than emotion. As a Planning Commissioner, I have seen firsthand that protecting the future of La Verne sometimes requires asking difficult questions, standing alone, and making decisions that are right even when they are not popular. Public service has never been about titles to me. It has always been about responsibility.

City Council is where all of those experiences come together. It is where the future of our neighborhoods, our public safety, our parks, our businesses, our families, and our quality of life are shaped one decision at a time. Those are not abstract policy questions to me. They are deeply personal because this is the city my children call home. Every vote I cast will be measured against one question: Will this make La Verne an even better place for the next generation than it was for mine?

La Verne changed the trajectory of my life. Serving on the City Council is my opportunity to help ensure it continues changing lives for generations to come.

An African American man in a dark suit, glasses, and a tie standing in front of a light wooden wall, holding a microphone and gesturing with his other hand, likely giving a speech or presentation.

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