Taylorville , Illinois

After college, I returned to the residential carpentry industry, working as an employee and eventually becoming a co-owner of a construction company. This experience led me to teaching the Construction Occupations program at a local prison through Lake Land College.

After four years, I transitioned to my alma mater, taking over the role of Building Trades Instructor. In 2019, I relaunched the student house-building program, which focuses on constructing high-performance, student-built houses. This program has been thriving ever since, providing hands-on learning opportunities for students while delivering exceptional results.

In 2022, I was honored to receive one of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, a $50,000 award. Since then, I have actively worked to promote the importance of trade programs in schools, advocating for their vital role in preparing students for successful careers in the skilled trades.