Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: Watch sports, cook, read, plan trips, take trips, be the best dad and husband I can be.

Q: What do you enjoy most about working at McAuliffe?

A: Co-workers [whom] I’ve known for decades, many of whom I’m close friends with. Also getting to know students and watching them grow emotionally and mentally throughout the year.

Q: Who or what inspired you to become a teacher?

A: I wanted to get involved in something where I felt that I could make a positive impact day in and day out and that wasn’t driven by a profit motive.

Q: Where did you go to school for college?

A: I went to UCLA for my [undergraduate degree] and Pepperdine for my [graduate degree].

Q: What was your childhood like?

A: Ideal. I was born in San Francisco but grew up in Mission Viejo in South Orange County and I had incredibly supportive parents that gave me room to be me and always let me indulge [in] whatever oddball or weird ideas I had. They taught me patience and love and how to treat others with kindness, respect, and dignity, and I am forever grateful for it. My childhood is literally the biggest break I’ve had in life.

Q: Do you have someone you look up to? If so, who?

A: Abraham Lincoln is my historical hero. In the bigger scheme of my life, I look up to my dad for how he treats others and selflessly cares for those around him. On campus I look up to Mr. Lynes for his professionalism, Mr. Maffett for his honesty, Ms. Miller for her altruism, and Ms. Bellendir for her passion.

Q: If you could meet any famous person or a person from history, who would it be and why?

A: Abraham Lincoln! I think he was brilliant. He had this amazing way of thinking several steps ahead of seemingly everyone else working in government at the time and he had an uncanny ability to step outside himself and the current situation to see the big picture. He was also selfless to the greatest extent one can be selfless and he was, I think, the greatest writer we’ve ever had as president.