VOTE411 Voter Guide

I moved to Hamilton County summer of 2001, so I'm coming up on 25 years.

Ensuring our citizens’ voices are represented in every decision is essential. Much of the difficulty ahead comes from the unbalanced structure we operate under: an office budget nearly tripled from the previous administration, the dismantling of core health‑department services, ongoing division with the City of Chattanooga, short‑sighted choices around natural resources and revenue, and knee‑jerk reactions to our planning agency without a real alternative. Our youth must be central to our development. Accountability for spending starts in my office, and I expect challenges as I work to ensure our dollars strengthen all of Hamilton County—not just a few.

I spent my formative years in South America, in a home that had abandoned everything to serve others. Growing up there showed me what happens when a government stops listening to its people. My years studying theology shaped my conscience, and the decades since—arriving in Chattanooga with only a suitcase and carry‑on—have turned that conscience into an opportunity to represent those of us who feel the pressure to build a better tomorrow. My life has taught me to find joy in seeing others succeed, because when my fellow man succeeds, his impact is greater than any program we create. When the least of us find peace, we all move forward. Last August, my son Silas took his own life. I don’t know how others carry a loss like this, but it made one truth undeniable: I cannot sit idle and expect the world to improve. Silas lost hope in tomorrow. I continue to find hope because of what I choose to do today—working to build a tomorrow every one of us can look toward with anticipation.

Practically all of my life. I grew up in Hixson, started my family in Lookout Valley, and now live on Signal Mountain.

Hamilton County is experiencing new opportunities as the economy has changed in ways that benefit communities like ours and states like Tennessee. People continue to migrate from across the country, new investors are considering our region, and we are gaining national accolades. However, we face a challenge to continue to put our people first as we face new and different opportunities. The reality is that disparities, from education to income, still limit our potential. I have focused on school facilities and vocational education, like the pathways that will be offered at the new downtown Franklin-Roberts Future Ready Center, because education will affect families for generations much more than other projects that get more media attention.

Over the last three and half years I have demonstrated a willingness to take on the status quo, even when it's controversial or unpopular. In order for more of our citizens to thrive, we have to be willing to be bold and speak truth to power that until more of our neighbors are receiving a quality education and earning a living wage, we will fall short of our potential as a county. My background as former investor in the private sector and member of the Board of Regents prepared me well to guide the county's innovative career and technical investments as well as protect taxpayers against companies and developers who are trying to take advantage of them. As we have worked to modernize the operations of county government, I've assembled and retained one of the finest teams of public servants in the country. Lastly, being a public school parent to five children is the ultimate motivation to do this job well and continue looking out for the next generation.