ABOUT

Thank you for connecting with me and working together to help our kids! I am a father, educator, school leader, speaker, author, and most importantly an advocate for all kids. My daily life at school is the proud principal of The Nokesville School, a K-8 school in Northern Virginia about 35 miles outside of Washington, DC.

For 12 years, I served as the principal of Ashland Elementary School and led a cultural and academic transformation that sky-rocketed student achievement. During this time, we became one of the top-performers in the state all while implementing innovative student-led programs such as students refurbishing and donating computers, a Hollywood-level news room, and an augmented reality art gallery. We were very blessed to receive awards and recognition for this work, including VDOE Excellence & Distinguished Achievement Awards, VDOE Distinguished Purple Star School Award, and a visit from the United States Secretary of Education. I have also been recognized with VAESP Professional Development Award, School Bell Award, Virginia Principal of the Year Award, NAESP Nationally Distinguished Principal Award.

I have been fortunate to have unique leadership opportunities to advocate for education and provide new services such as congressional panels on educational reform, task forces in one of the largest school divisions in the country, such as the PWCS Safe Schools Advisory Council. In 2019, I helped create and form the NAESP Center for Innovative Leadership and in 2020 became the first Senior Fellow for the National Association of Elementary Schools Centers for Advancing Leadership. As a Senior Fellow, I help NAESP Fellows to connect, educate, and inspire school leaders across the country. Click here to learn more about the NAESP Centers for Advancing Leadership. I believe we must all advocate for those in need around us. I also serve as a Board Member for the Autism Society of Northern Virginia. This includes leading sensory-friendly events, raising funds for support programs, and advocacy for changes in state laws for those affected by Autism and other disabilities.

My education includes a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Development from Grove City College, master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Supervision from George Mason University, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Virginia Tech. I love to write and share my thoughts on education and leadership. I wrote Discipline Win: Strategies to Improve Behavior, Increase Ownership, and Give Every Student a Chance in 2021. Read more of my views in a few published articles below and in my blog posts.