I’m on a mission to make all of my dreams come true. All of them.

I’m an Adjunct Professor in the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. I recently earned my masters degree in Media Studies, and found returning to grad school immensely gratifying. I reacquainted myself with my lifelong loves, writing and reading. I love to read. If I could have a book in my hand every hour of the day I would. Reading in turn inspires me to write. I write journal entries, short stories, poetry, essays and academic papers. Learning about topics like AI and applying my deep interest in intersectional feminism satisfies parts of my multifaceted ADHD brain I didn’t know were possible.

I returned to school at age 44 in the hopes of teaching the next generation what I’ve learned during my 20+ years in communications. Prior to grad school, I tried my hand at it, serving as an Adjunct Professor at Washington State University Vancouver, teaching public relations and marketing classes. It was there that teaching called to me. I mean, really called to me. I stepped in front of the classroom and knew that was it. When I explained a concept and I could see the light turn on in a students’ eyes, that moment of recognition, of truly sharing information and “getting it” made me feel fulfilled and actualized.

Covid rearranged my life priorities in ways I will forever be grateful for. Before the pandemic my wife and I co-owned two businesses in Portland, OR: a successful public relations and digital agency, Little Green Pickle and a food and drink festival, Feast Portland. We had two babies at the time, yet both businesses were growing and we were interviewing babysitters for the children we’d spent seven years creating as a queer couple. After many years in the industry I decided to prioritize my health, and because it was really getting in the way of my running I put alcohol down and didn’t pick it up again (that was four years ago, and for me, an important commitment to myself).

The agency was some of my most creative PR work with a young, exciting, we-can-do-anything team. We innovated how public relations, influencer engagement, event, creative and web services were delivered on behalf of 30+ exciting food and beverage brands in the Pacific Northwest and around the country. And because my wife and I were former New Yorkers with not enough to do, we also co-founded the Feast Portland food and drink festival in 2011. At its height, the festival welcomed 20,000 attendees and 100 chefs at 40 events over four days. I led the marketing, PR and charitable efforts on behalf of the festival for 10 years. The festival far exceeded any goals or expectations I had going in, and I’m grateful I got to be part of that team and that time in Portland where anything seemed possible.

My experience in starting these two companies drew on my 10-year career at Food Network where I served as Vice President of Public Relations in New York City. I landed there right out of New York University and worked hard for great people during the network’s initial growth period. Food Network was a real family to me (I’m still in touch with so many), and they taught me how to do almost anything. Eventually I was responsible for all consumer press, talent relations, digital PR, social media, charitable efforts, and launched successful shows for chefs like Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay, Ina Garten, and Duff Goldman. One of my favorite projects was helping to create the New York City Wine & Food Festival with Share Our Strength, The Food Bank for NYC and Southern Wines & Spirits, which continues to raise over $1 million to end hunger every year. But the most gratifying accomplishment was co-initiating Food Network's first public affairs program, "Good Food Gardens," which brought teaching gardens to underserved kids and families in schools and community centers around the country.

These days you can find me researching the food, farms, art, parks, bookstores and libraries of the Syracuse area with my wife and two kids. We’ve got another creative business up our sleeve (see: Blue Salt Air) so there’s always more to learn. You can also find me oil painting, planting yet another plant, jumping into a Peloton class (I’ll take anything by Robin Arzón) and yes, always reading as many books as possible.