Family: My wife Anna and three kids; Thiago(9), Yoel(7), and Elise(3)
Education: B.A. Political Science and Spanish, Penn St. M.A. Political Science and Public Policy, Kansas
Hobbies: Aviation and Spending time with Family
Personal Mission
I am a two term Senator whose impassioned love for our great state drove me to serve the state's people in any way I could. Following my graduation from The University of Kansas, I decided that I wanted to be more involved in state politics. I saw how economic policies and political agendas were shaping the world I loved across the state. Operating out of Kansas City following the conclusion of my masters program, I decided to enlist in local politics serving on the city council for Overland Park, Kansas. During this time, I volunteered my services to eco-friendly programs and Sunflower party campaigns. I have a strong belief that the community matters so I stayed close to my family and helped the community in every way I could. After two years of community building and working to improve the schools and the environment in the area I wanted to make a bigger impact. Devoted to my family and the state of Kansas, I decided that it was time for the campaign that I worked on to be mine. I was elected in a landslide victory to the state Senate and retained a vested interest in the environment of the state. after my short stint in state politics, I moved my sights to federal policy and government. My efforts at the federal level were substantive and state focused. I helped increase the states budget and guaranteed more federal subsidies for the state than any senator before me. As much as I loved my time with federal politics, the bustle of Washington kept me too far away from the place I love. I am returning in an effort to stay as close to my family and neighbors as I can. I want my impact to resonate with the entire state and everyone in it, and I want my service to have as large an impact for the State as it can. I love Kansas, and I am here to stay. I hope that you will work with me to make this State a place we can all be proud to call home.