My Philosophy of Service
For me, the term “service” (public/community or otherwise) has never really felt like a title but instead a sort of pledge I make to the people around me. For me, that idea took root pretty early, behind the information desk of my local library as a teenager, or volunteering at the local nursing home, and it grew through experiences that took me a long way from home: earning the Eagle Scout designation after years of service projects and time in the outdoors, representing my scout troop at the National Scout Jamboree, and later living and working among the urban poor of São Paulo, Brazil, where I saw how much dignity and stability can depend on institutions that are genuinely striving to serve communities. Those years taught me that service is less about grand gestures than about steady presence: it's showing up, listening, and doing the work that often goes unseen.
That same ethic has accompanied me through every role since — as a former U.S. diplomat, as an advisor to companies seeking to grow internationally, as a chamber of commerce leader here in the South Bay, and now as Trustee and President of the Board at the Palos Verdes Library District. Behind every meeting, budget, and handshake, the work is really about people. Alongside my elected duties, I’ve served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, given time to my church, supported youth sports, and volunteered in our local schools. I believe that a healthy community is built in a thousand small acts, not just at the ballot box. I also love connecting people and building bridges and I'm reminded that whether during my advocacy trips to Capitol Hill and the White House or just meeting new friends for lunch, some of the best things I’ve been part of really started with a simple introduction. Even in my diplomatic work, I learned that the most effective approach to promoting America's interests was often people-to-people diplomacy. Public service, at its best, is a kind of matchmaking: bringing the right people together so good ideas actually happen.
Over my first term as your Trustee, I’ve made listening my top priority. I’ve worked to hear residents’ concerns directly, to engage our talented library staff in a meaningful way, and to build genuine partnerships with the stakeholders and community organizations who help our libraries thrive. I take this role seriously, and I put real time and effort into it — because our community members of all ages deserve world-class library service, and delivering it means being a careful steward of the precious taxpayer funds that are entrusted to us. I see our annual budget as a collective asset that must be protected and handled with care. As the current President of the Board, the impetus to serve in a focused way that considers the needs of our local communities is even more acute for me. In our programming, our partnerships, and our day-to-day service, I try to stay anxiously engaged in this cause that gives so much to so many. I hope residents see that commitment reflected in my efforts.
Libraries occupy a special place in all of this. They’re among the last truly free, open, and welcoming public spaces we have left — places where a child can discover a first book, a job-seeker can access a computer, teens can gather for enriching workshops, and a neighbor can simply sit and read for the sake of self-growth. Protecting that mission takes transparency, fiscal discipline, and decisions that serve the whole community rather than any single interest. That’s the standard I hold myself to, and the one I hope you’ll hold me to again this November.
I look forward to earning your vote as I seek reelection this year. Please reach out if you have any questions or comments. Thank you!