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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 (so I'm familiar with the natural gas exploration now taking place in the southwestern part of our state). 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've 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've not missed an election since (even dragging my wife to the polls 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 share 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 while working in other seasons 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'd lived for eight years working as a pastry chef for the Sun Valley Company and as a volunteer firefighter 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 earned her M.D. 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 has a private practice as a rehabilitation physician (a physiatrist) and serves as the Director of the Outpatient 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.
On moving to Idaho I became involved in my community through the local Neighborhood Association (now the Borah Neighborhood Association - BNA), eventually becoming president. As president of the BNA (and now as the vice president) I've taken a leadership role in our community. I've 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 $350,000 to transform Borah Park. As a result of our recent work Borah Park now has a beautiful community garden and a new, large picnic shelter will be added this year. Borah Park has become an active hub of our community and an example of community efforts enhancing our unique quality of life! As your senator I've 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've served our district in the state senate for 10 years. I enjoy the opportunity to walk door to door in our community, meet the residents, and find ways to work together to solve the difficult problems that we face. The citizens of District 17 have honored me with the opportunity to represent our community. I thank you for that opportunity and I'll continue to work hard for our community, for our state, and for our country.
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