3 Fun Facts
- I’m a West Valley kid! Grew up in the West Valley and went to kindergarten, middle school, and high school all in the West Valley.
- I recommitted to my physical health and last month completed the Buckeye ½ Marathon and recently completed the Mesa ½ Marathon. My goal is to finish the full Phoenix Marathon in December!
- I’m a big advocate in the autism community. I am passionate about giving back, as my beautiful, soon-to-be 19-year-old son Joshua was diagnosed at a young age, but has thrived in more ways than anyone could have ever imagined. He is a student at GCU, works part time at Nike and with the Phoenix Suns.
What would you tell your younger self about economic development?
Just be yourself. At the end of the day, it all comes down to communication skills and relationships.
What’s something you wish you knew before starting your current role?
One thing I wish I fully appreciated before stepping into this role is the weight and responsibility that comes with building something highly visible from the ground up especially when it carries strong expectations from executive leadership and council. Spark Surprise is the result of significant groundwork laid by many dedicated professionals before me, and I’ve gained a deep respect for the foundation they built to make this moment possible. What I’ve learned is that while you inherit vision and momentum, you also become responsible for operationalizing it building the partnerships, designing the programs, aligning stakeholders, and ultimately serving as the public-facing representative of the initiative.
There isn’t a blueprint for launching something first-of-its-kind in your community. You are simultaneously shaping strategy, cultivating regional relationships, and managing expectations in real time. I’ve also learned how important it is to balance ambition with sustainability ensuring the programs and partnerships we establish are built to last, not just to launch. That perspective has strengthened my leadership approach and reinforced the importance of collaboration, transparency, and long-term impact.
What advice do you have for up-and-coming economic developers?
Be confident but be humble. Take calculated risks and always take initiative. First impressions go a long way, so always do the little positive things that people will remember you for. Not everything will be a home run, and most things working in this universe are marathons and not a sprint, so always be patient with yourself and others.
What’s a recent economic development/career win you have experienced?
A recent career win I’m proud of occurred during my time as the Downtown Project Manager for the City of Buckeye where I was part of the core team advancing the redevelopment of a long-vacant historic hotel in Downtown Buckeye. The building had long been a recognizable landmark in the community but had remained vacant for years, making it both symbolically important and structurally complex to reposition.
In my role overseeing downtown initiatives, I worked closely with city leadership and the development community to reframe the opportunity and build confidence around the corridor’s future. Through an established professional relationship with the eventual developer built on consistency, transparency, and follow-through we were able to create the level of trust necessary to move forward on a project of significant scale and magnitude. Redeveloping an aging, high-visibility structure requires more than vision; it requires confidence in the team and in the city’s commitment to partnership.
While this was unquestionably a collaborative effort across departments and leadership, I’m proud of the role I played in helping align the right partner with the right opportunity. The project is expected to serve as a catalyst for continued investment and renewed momentum in this area and a meaningful step forward for the residents and business community of historic old town Buckeye.
Who do you look up to in the field, and what advice might you give young professionals about mentorship?
This is tough because I have been fortunate to have worked with and collaborated with so many amazing people. But the two I look up to are my former Director with the City of Glendale, Brian Friedman, and my current Director with the City of Surprise, Jeanine Jerkovic. Their ability to connect with people, their work ethic, and the respect they have earned in this industry are admirable and ones I hope to achieve. And the advice I would give to young professionals is to be open-minded and be a team player. Always recognize others for their efforts, as nobody is able to achieve anything impactful alone.
