My first responsibility is to listen to the people who live here. District 4 covers a lot of ground, and what matters to a family in Brunswick may look different from what matters to a farmer outside Woodsboro or a small business owner in Middletown.

I want to take those voices with me to Annapolis and work on the issues I hear about every day: strong public schools, accessible healthcare, safer roads and better transportation, responsible growth, protecting our farmland and natural resources, improving infrastructure and making Frederick County a place where families can actually afford to stay.

I also believe public servants work for the people. That means showing up in our communities, answering the hard questions and being willing to work with people on both sides of the aisle when it benefits the people I represent.

You shouldn’t only hear from your delegate when it’s election season. If I have the privilege of representing District 4, I intend to keep listening, keep showing up and make sure our communities have a voice in Annapolis.

If you live in Maryland Legislative District 4, you’ll have the opportunity to vote for me for the House of Delegates.

District 4 stretches across a large part of Frederick County and includes communities and areas such as Brunswick, Rosemont, Burkittsville, Jefferson, Point of Rocks, Middletown, Myersville, Braddock Heights, Walkersville, Woodsboro, New Market, Urbana, Mount Pleasant, Libertytown, Ijamsville, Linganore, Monrovia, Green Valley, Lewistown and Wolfsville, along with many of our rural communities in between.

Some community boundaries are split between legislative districts, so if you’re unsure whether your address falls within District 4, I always encourage you to check your voter registration and legislative district before Election Day.

If District 4 is next to your name, I would be honored to earn your vote.

I believe any development of this size has to be a good neighbor to the community around it.

For me, that means asking serious questions about impacts on our power grid, water resources, infrastructure, noise and the people who already call these communities home. It also means looking at better alternatives where possible, including closed-loop water systems and battery technology rather than relying heavily on generators.

Economic development matters, but so does protecting the quality of life of the people who are already here. Those two things should not have to be mutually exclusive. I want residents at the table early in the process, not after the major decisions have already been made.

Some of the issues I continue to hear about across District 4 are public education, affordable housing, healthcare access, transportation, infrastructure, responsible growth, farmland protection and the rising cost of simply living here.

But I also think being a good delegate requires leaving room to listen. I can tell you what matters to me, but representation isn’t supposed to be about one person walking into Annapolis with all the answers. The people of District 4 live these issues every day. I want to hear what is affecting your family, your town, your farm or your small business and carry those concerns with me.

The Army taught me that leadership is much more than being the loudest person in the room. It’s listening, taking responsibility, working with people from completely different backgrounds and finding a way forward when the problem in front of you is complicated.

Over 20 years, I went from repairing Apache helicopters to working in radiology and eventually serving in senior leadership. I worked across different branches and bureaucracies and dealt with budgets totaling millions of dollars.

Most importantly, I learned that the mission comes before your ego. I would bring that same mindset to Annapolis: understand the problem, listen to the people affected by it, work with the people at the table and get to work.

Absolutely. I’ve spent too much of my life working alongside people from every background imaginable to believe that we have to agree on everything before we can accomplish anything together.

There will be issues where Democrats and Republicans disagree. That’s part of government. But roads still need to be safe. Families still need access to healthcare. Children still need good schools. Veterans still need services. Towns still need functioning infrastructure.

I’m willing to sit at the table with anyone who is genuinely interested in finding solutions for the people we represent. You don’t have to agree with me on every issue for me to listen to you. If I represent District 4, I represent all of District 4.

Talk to me! Truly.

One of my favorite parts of this campaign has been meeting people across District 4 and hearing the stories behind the issues we talk about every day. Come say hello when you see me at an event, stop and talk with us when we're out in the community, send the campaign a message or ask me the question you think people in Annapolis need to hear.

You don’t have to be a political expert to get involved in your community. You just have to care enough to show up. And whether we agree on everything or not, I’m always willing to listen.