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My biography

I was born in Montreal, Canada. After losing my father when I was three and having my house burn when I was seven, my brother, sister, and I emigrated to the United States with my single mother and grandparents.  After remarrying, my mother and stepfather both worked and I was often left to fend for myself. Though not ideal, this helped me to develop a sense of independence, maturity, and responsibility at an early age (along with some rather good cooking skills!). The frequent moving also helped me develop a strong sense of compassion for others. These traits run strong in me as an adult and help to guide my life.

After uneventful high school years I attended Sonoma State University where I majored in geology. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in geology Cum Laude and worked as an engineering geologist and geothermal exploration geologist.

It was in college that I became politically involved and decided to become a United States citizen. It took about a year of applications, interviews, and lost forms (you don't know red tape until you have dealt with the Immigration and Naturalization Service!). But it was all worth it when I became a citizen in a thrilling ceremony where the judge reminded us of the opportunities we were receiving and to never take those opportunities for granted. I have not missed an election since then (even voting with my wife while she was in labor with our daughter!). My experience has given me a unique perspective and special appreciation for the rights and duties we have as citizens of our great nation.

After working for a few years I attended postgraduate courses at the University of Arizona. To satisfy my passion for skiing, I lived for two winters in Mammoth Lakes, California (500 inches of snow/year!) while working as an engineering geologist. In 1985 I moved to Boston and attended a postgraduate course at Harvard University where I met my wife Nancy (organic chemistry can be so romantic!). Nancy came to Harvard to prepare for medical school from Sun Valley where she had lived for eight years working as a pastry chef for the Sun Valley Company and as a volunteer fire fighter in the Ketchum Fire Department.

In 1986 I began working as an environmental consultant restoring contaminated properties for companies like General Dynamics and Shell Oil Company. Nancy attended medical school at Dartmouth University while I worked and lived in the Boston area. Nancy and I were married in 1990 and she transferred to Brown University where she finished medical school in 1992. That was the year our daughter Hattie was born.

Nancy's medical training then took us to Ann Arbor, Michigan where I continued to work as an environmental consultant. Nancy finished her training and we immediately moved back to Idaho where Nancy is a rehabilitation doctor and Director of the Brain Injury Program at the Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Hospital. I continued my environmental consulting work in Idaho until 1999 when I started my own small business.

Upon moving to Idaho I became involved in my community through the Franklin Randolph Bench Neighborhood Association (now the Borah Neighborhood Association - BNA), eventually becoming president. As president of the BNA I have taken a leadership role in our community. I have worked closely with residents to enhance our neighborhood through city and county grants, and resident initiatives. Within the last few years our neighborhood association received over $100,000 to improve Borah Park. As a result of our recent Safe Routes to School initiative the association received $18,000 to put new sidewalk around McKinley Elementary School and 37 new stop signs and numerous new crosswalks. We are currently struggling to expand Borah Park to better serve the bench community following the acquisition of the adjacent land by a development company.

As your Senator I have carried this community activism to the entire district (and state wide). I worked with others to initiate a state wide Safe Routes to School program to take advantage of federal money available to make pedestrians and bicyclists safer. I work regularly with residents to make streets and intersections safer, to clean up neighborhood problems (like junk cars on the street and dilapidated houses), and to mediate between neighbors and businesses to improve conditions in neighborhoods. I have also become deeply involved in the infill issue - forming a task force to work with neighborhoods, developers, and the city to develop better ordinances to govern infill.

In April 2002, disgusted by the arrogance shown for the people of Idaho by our Legislature, I placed my small business on hold and decided to run for the Idaho State Senate. It is time for new ideas and a fresh perspective in our Legislature. The citizens of District 17 have given me the opportunity to represent our community and work to develop innovative solutions to the problems that we face. I thank you for the opportunity and will continue to work hard for our community.