I was born in Florida and spent my early years there. Part of my family immigrated to the US from Cuba. As a small child it was common to hear conversations both in English and Spanish since some of the older family members barely spoke English.

My first job (and arguably the most meaningful) was with a special recreation district. It was hard work. During the school year, I taught swimming to kids with special needs, and in the summers I worked with kids from the same district ages 3 to 8 years old full time in the summer.

I have fond memories of those kids, like Peter who loved music or Ronald who loved to laugh.

Dreams of space travel led me to the US Air Force when I was 18. Four years later, I graduated from the Air Force Academy with a BS in Physics.

From there I went on to pilot training and logged over 3,000 hours flying multi engine jet aircraft such as the T-37, T-1 and the KC-135R/T.

As an active duty and later a reserve officer, I was frequently deployed to locations around the Persian Gulf and in Turkey. I have flown all over the world from Alaska to the Pacific Ocean to Iraq and Afghanistan.

During my time on active duty, I served as Chief of Training and Chief of Standardization / Evaluation at the squadron level, Evaluator Pilot at the Group level and Chief of Plans and Programs at the Wing level.

As an instructor pilot, I taught all aspects of our mission, from formation takeoffs and engine out landings to aerial refueling both as receiver and tanker.

In 2009, I left active duty to get a masters degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Central Florida.

Since then, I have worked as a government contractor serving both the Air and Space Force in various Guidance Navigation and Control roles from analysis and design to procurement and testing to on orbit testing and long term support. Most recently, I led a team of 12 engineers in the development and testing of multiple spacecraft to support a key national capability.

In my professional life, I have a deep appreciation of why math and science education is so important. In my job, I use everything from algebra and trigonometry to numerical integration and fast Fourier transforms to neural networks to analyze data, run simulations, plan trajectories, and tune Kalman filters. According to my kids, sometimes too much. My daughter recently joked “I just want to make pancakes Dad, not do math.”

I believe that learning does not stop when we leave school. I am an avid reader, from Brene Brown’s “Gifts of Imperfection” to Timothy Synder’s “On Tyranny”.

I have also been active in my community. From my earliest days teaching kids with special needs, to being the Cub Scout den leader. I know what it’s like to fund raise with kids selling popcorn, I’ve led the Pinewood Derby for multiple troops and I have camped in the snow, because that’s what the Scouts had planned. Through my time volunteering at Hutchinson Elementary School and Lunsford Middle School, and as a parent who is closely involved in my children’s education, I have deep respect for the incredible work our educators do every single day.