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Education
B.A., Psychology Honors, University of Texas at Austin MSSW, Administration and Policy Practice, University of Texas at Austin
Work experience
Tennessee Justice Center (2017); Indivisible (2018-2021); RuralOrganizing (2022-2024)
If elected, I will practice participatory democracy by making sure constituents have a real voice in shaping my work. That means holding regular town halls in all counties, keeping local offices open and accessible, and staffing those offices with people rooted in the community. I will also launch ongoing community needs assessments so residents themselves identify priorities—roads, healthcare, schools, jobs—and those needs drive my agenda in Washington.
I’ll keep doing what I do now: answering calls directly, meeting folks where they are, and using social media for transparency and accountability. Representation shouldn’t mean disappearing to D.C.—it should mean bringing people into the process and ensuring government works with them,
The top issues in District 7 are feeding kids, fixing roads, and funding hospitals. Families are being crushed by rising food costs and corporate price gouging, and no child in Tennessee should go hungry—we need federal action to lower costs and expand school meals. Tennessee also faces a $73 billion backlog in infrastructure needs, with crumbling roads and bridges that demand major federal investment built by union labor. And rural hospitals across the district have closed, forcing families to drive hours for care. We must expand funding to keep hospitals open, staffed, and affordable. These are the kitchen-table issues I’ll fight for in Congress.
I’m a social worker and lifelong organizer who has spent the past eight years working in rural and small-town communities across Tennessee and the country—fighting hospital closures, expanding broadband, and building grassroots power. As one of Indivisible’s first national organizers, I learned how to mobilize voters in tough terrain, and I carried that work home to Tennessee. In the State House, I’ve introduced bold legislation to end the grocery tax, fund infrastructure through my “Pot for Potholes” bill, and defend working families against a GOP supermajority. This blend of rural organizing, social work, and legislative experience has prepared me to represent TN-07 and deliver real results.
If elected, I will fight to protect and strengthen Medicare and Social Security—programs that working people have paid into and earned, but that Republicans in Congress continue to target for cuts. Tennesseans deserve the promise of a secure retirement and affordable healthcare, not more uncertainty. I will also work to ensure people who are unfairly cut off from public benefits like food assistance or Medicaid can get reenrolled quickly, because no senior or family should be left behind by bureaucratic red tape. And I’ll fight for major federal investment in our municipalities, especially rural communities, so they have the resources to fix roads, keep hospitals open, and create good union jobs.
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Education
Hunters Lane High School, Nashville, Tennessee State University bachelor's degree in Accounting (BBA) in 1997 and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in 2004
Work experience
Small Businessman and Tennessee State Representative
I’ll hold regular town halls across the district, from Nashville to the most rural communities, because every voice matters. I’ll also use newsletters, social media, and open office hours to make sure people can reach me directly. Communication has to be a two-way street. Too often, politicians disappear after Election Day. I’ll be present, accountable, and always willing to listen -- because the only way to represent people is to stay connected to them. I also communicate with many people daily as a small businessman, member of my church and an active participant in my community.
1) Make life more affordable for working families, from housing and groceries to healthcare and childcare. 2) Protect Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, because our seniors and vulnerable communities cannot afford cuts. 3) Invest in education and workforce training so that every child has a pathway to succeed, and every worker has a fair shot at a good-paying job. These aren’t abstract ideas -- they’re about making sure people can live with dignity and security.
As a Tennessee State Legislator, my values led me to work across the aisle to pass bipartisan laws that expanded opportunity. For example, I championed the Advanced Coursework Act, which gave more Black boys and other students of color access to advanced classes. That came directly from my belief in fairness and equal opportunity. As a small business owner, I focused on creating jobs and giving people second chances, because I know everyone deserves a shot to prove themselves. And when Republicans pushed tax breaks for billionaires, I fought instead to cut the grocery tax -- because I believe in putting working families first.
Healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. I’ll fight to cap the cost of prescription drugs and insulin, because no one should be forced to ration their medicine. I’ll push to expand Medicaid in Tennessee, which would keep our rural hospitals open and provide coverage to hundreds of thousands more people. I’ll also stand firm against cuts to Medicare and Social Security.
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Education
MA Economics
Work experience
US Army, air ambulance pilot
I’ll stay accessible through mail, phone, and office visits, but I believe real representation requires more. I’ll host monthly town halls—both in person and online—and hold open “Ask Me Anything” sessions where any question is fair game. I’ll also keep a direct line through my website so you can submit concerns anytime. You deserve a representative who listens first and acts second.
Families here face three big challenges: jobs and the economy, the rising cost of living, and healthcare. DC policies drive up prices by spending beyond its means, weakening the dollar, and burdening farmers and businesses with red tape. Groceries, gas, and housing all cost more because of Washington’s dysfunction. Healthcare is expensive because it’s not a real free market—insurance is tied to jobs, prices are hidden, and what we call “insurance” isn’t true insurance.
I’ve spent my life serving others—flying helicopters in the Army and saving lives as an air ambulance pilot. Those roles were about protecting and helping all people, not playing politics. That same mindset guides me now: I’m not running to join the system, but to fix it. My career has prepared me to serve as a truly independent representative who answers to every constituent, not just those identifying with a particular party.
Runaway spending threatens our future. My top priority will be restoring fiscal sanity so families can afford to live, save, and prosper again. This isn’t a left-right issue—it’s about protecting opportunity for the next generation. I’ll fight to rein in reckless spending, cut hidden taxes, and put power back in the hands of people instead of Washington. We need to rebuild a country worth handing to our children.
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