Age: 39
Occupation: Superintendent, Linn-Mar Community School District
What was your first job?
Working on the farm. Suffice it to say, I worked for free and I learned a lot about life.
What’s the best advice you ever received?
Leave everything better than you found it.
What do you consider your greatest professional achievement(s)?
Moon Scholar, Sabine Scholar, Fulbright.
What would most people be surprised to learn about you?
I am a long distance runner and have run enough miles to say I have circled the globe twice! This is something I wanted to accomplish by my 40th birthday.
What do you know now that you wish you had known earlier in your career?
A life of significance is far more important than a life of success.
How do you ensure a balance between work and your personal life?
To maintain a life/work balance, I try to get feedback from those I love. They help keep me grounded and focused.
What’s something people should know about your generation in the workplace?
Our generation has a tireless devotion to the ‘team’.
If you had $1 million to give, what causes would you support?
I would support as many education-related causes as possible.
What is the biggest issue facing the Corridor?
The biggest challenge facing the Corridor is retaining our local talent.
What do you want to accomplish by the time you are 50?
I’ll keep all options open! Maybe another run around the globe along the way.
What book are you currently reading?
“Leadership on the Line” by Martin Linsky.
Who are your local mentors?
Lew Finch, retired Cedar Rapids Community School District superintendent, Cedar Rapids Community School District Superintendent Brad Buck, and College Community School District Superintendent John Speer.
