I’ve known since I was in high school that I wanted to do something meaningful.
I just didn't know exactly what that would look like.
That question led me through work in pastoral care, community mental health, private practice, and crisis response, and eventually to where I am now.
Supervising clinicians, speaking at conferences, and partnering with organizations that want to take better care of their people. The path wasn't perfectly straight, but the thread running through all of it has always been the same. I want to show up for people in ways that actually matter.
Why?
Because I've been there.
Early in my career, transitioning from pastoral work into my counseling residency, I hit a rough patch. Nothing dramatic, just a season that made it hard to show up fully. My supervisor noticed. Instead of pushing through it or pretending it wasn't happening, she saw me, heard me, and supported me while she continued to invest in my growth as a counselor.
That meant everything to me.
It also shaped the way I work with every person who comes to me. Residents, organizations, audiences.
These are real people, not just roles to fill or problems to solve. I try to honor that every time.
Over the past 15 years I've worked in private practice, community mental health, and alongside nonprofits and faith communities. I've been providing clinical supervision since 2016, and I've walked more than 30 residents across the finish line to licensure. A lot of them still reach out long after they're licensed. Sometimes they want perspective on a tough case or a fresh set of eyes. Sometimes I'm the one reaching out to them because they've grown in profound and meaningful ways and I genuinely value what they have to offer. That part of this work is one of my favorites.
I'm the Clinical Director at Turning Point Counseling and Consulting, where I oversee a team of nearly 30 clinicians. I'm also the co-founder of The Clinician Connection Conference, an annual oceanfront conference in Virginia Beach built for mental health professionals who need a place to come back to themselves. Watching clinicians walk in exhausted and leave reconnected to why they got into this work, that never gets old.
I also spend time volunteering with AIDNow, VALeap, and other organizations dedicated to serving people who are in need or going through the hard stuff. This isn't separate from what I do for work, it's an extension. A rather meaningful one to me.
I'm currently pursuing my PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. Honestly, part of what drives that is wanting to keep myself sharp and broadening my own perspective. The more I learn about how people grow and how to guide that process well, the better I can show up for the people I work with.
When I speak or lead training, I try to bring all of it. The clinical knowledge, the real stories, and enough humor to keep the room breathing even when the topics get heavy. Someone once told me I have a future in stand up comedy. I choose to believe them.
When I'm not doing this work, I'm a husband and stepdad to three, a lifelong punk rock fan, and a devoted Spider-Man fan (as if my red shirt didn’t give it away.)