Born and raised on Chicago’s South Side neighborhood Mt. Greenwood, his first love was literature, studying for a BA, then MA at UIC. He finished a nearly 3 year travel adventure including commercial fishing in Alaska, biking/hiking/hitching California’s Highway 1, and a year teaching/wandering Colombia and Mexico. He returned to his roots in 2015 with an amplified excitement to explore and further recognize the beauty of his home and its surrounding area. He has been on multiple long bike rides; including a 1,000 mile ride through the Canadian and American Pacific Northwest as well as numerous rides up to Indiana and Michigan. Chat him up on a ride about other worldly travels, his favorite local beer, and his hero Walt Whitman.

Started as Co-Founder, Vice President of the Board, and YoutH Program Director in 2015. Started as the first paid employee at OOFD with 10 hours a week in 2022 and 20 hours a week in 2023.