I live in Costa Mesa’s District 4, where my wife, Maxine, and I are raising our five kids. Like many people here, I was drawn to Costa Mesa because it felt livable, creative, and grounded. It is a place where neighborhoods mattered and daily life felt connected.

 

My involvement in the city grew over time. As I paid closer attention to how local decisions affected our neighborhood, I became more interested in how City Hall actually works. That interest eventually led me to serve on the Costa Mesa Arts Commission, where I gained firsthand experience with the realities of municipal governance: budgeting cycles, staff constraints, regulatory frameworks, and the slow but consequential process by which policy turns into outcomes.

 

Serving on the commission gave me a clear view of both what local government can do well and where it often struggles. It also reinforced how easily everyday quality-of-life issues can be sidelined when process becomes disconnected from purpose.

 

Professionally, I have spent my career in roles that require careful decision-making, long-term planning, and accountability within complex institutions. That experience has shaped my approach to public service, grounded in patience for process, respect for expertise, and an understanding that good outcomes require discipline, coordination, and follow-through.