I am a lifelong big game and bird hunter, a perennially novice fly fisherman (who carries a collapsible spinning rod in his fly vest, just in case), an alpine skier turned snowboarder turned Nordic skier turned back to alpine skier, a bicycle commuter, an occasional 100 mile ultra marathon runner, a wilderness backpacker, a family car camper, and a general lover of the open air. I believe there is enough room on our public lands for all responsible and respectful users, be they wilderness purists on foot or hill climbers on dirt bikes, and that we all benefit if we work together for our mutual love of the outdoors. But if you asked, I would tell you that my favorite places are in the remote wilderness that is hard to reach on foot or ski (and should stay that way). I also believe in the therapeutic value of outdoor recreation for military veterans returning from war.

When I’m not outdoors, I work as lawyer in the public sector in Helena. I feel lucky to raise a family in Helena where my wife and I can pass our love and appreciation of our public lands on to our kids. I grew up in the San Joaquin Valley of California, am a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and hold degrees from San Jose State University and the University of Montana School of Law.