I was born and raised in California's Central Valley and earned a Bachelor's of Science in Economics with a minor in Mathematics at University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. After graduating in 2008, I spent 4 years working with Jeffrey Michael and Thomas Pogue at the Center for Business and Policy Research at University of the Pacific. While at CBPR, I studied a wide range of topics in the Central Valley including the 2008 housing crisis, demographics, health care, and commuting, and was the lead researcher and author of the Regional Analyst quarterly publication, produced in cooperation with the San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG). In 2012, I left CBPR to pursue a PhD in Economics at University of California, Davis.

I currently live in Davis, CA with my wife, Megann, and my two children, Joey and Lilly. In my free time I enjoy exploring the Coastal Ranges and Sierra Nevada mountains surrounding the Central Valley, playing games (of both the board and video varieties), and guitar.