My Work History

I have been asked what is my background and why am I qualified to run for Congress. First, let me be clear, I am not a politician and have never held elected office. This can be viewed as positive or a negative, and this determination is entirely up to the constituents of Washington's 3rd District.

As a father of four I have spent the last +17 years doing everything I can to provide the best life for my family. In the early years as a young father, I was working as a systems scaffold erector at a refinery, grinding out long hours climbing up and down, pumping scaffolding, and erecting temporary working platforms. As a member of the Carpenter's Union Local 425 I was able to enjoy great benefits and a decent wage. But the writing on the wall was clear, a career of erecting scaffolding was breaking down my body and I would soon not be able to enjoy the athletic or outdoor activities with my young family, so I decided to change my career path and went back to school.

We re-located to White Salmon and I enrolled in the Renewable Energy Technology program at Columbia Gorge Community College in The Dalles, Oregon. My initial intent was to complete a 2-year degree and work as a wind turbine technician. After a year and a half, I gained employment with a wind energy company as a technician. While working as a technician, another opportunity presented itself and my career path changed once again, this time as a real-time operator in the control room for the same renewable energy company.

Now, after 12 years of working as a control room operator, in various capacities, I have had the unique opportunity to gain vital insight into the energy industry that impacts our lives in so many ways. After a few years of control room experience solely monitoring renewable energy facilities, another opportunity presented itself, the opportunity to work as a control room operator at the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). Our family made the difficult decision to relocate and take advantage of this opportunity. I spent six years working as a control room operator at the CAISO, the largest balancing area in the Western Interconnection, and had the responsibility of ensuring the reliability of 1/3 of the West's real time energy needs. After six years in California, it became clear, our family wanted to get back to Washington State, where our roots are firmly planted. I was able to leverage my unique experiences as an operator at CAISO and return to the same renewable energy company I worked before.

I understand the realities of what it takes to ensure our energy needs are met. There is no doubt renewables play a critical role in the future of our energy portfolio, but it is critical we do so in a responsible, carefully thought out manner. I know the very real impacts of over promising a renewable energy future before the technology and infrastructure can reliably support it.