I've been doing a lot of reflecting this Thanksgiving holiday—thinking about the winding path that brought me here, contemplating how the future continues to unfold in unexpected ways, and realizing just how deeply my roots and upbringing have shaped who I've become and the choices I've made along the way.

Growing up, I never imagined I'd become a security leader in Pittsburgh's evolving tech landscape. But looking back now, I can see how every experience, every lesson from my upbringing, and every twist in the road has led me to exactly where I'm supposed to be. The values instilled in me early on—resilience, community, hard work—have become the foundation of my career. And as I watch the future unfold, I'm realizing that the very roots I once took for granted are now the anchor that keeps me grounded as I reach forward into everything that's coming next.

I grew up in a small rural town where hard work carried more weight than titles. My childhood was shaped by a community that solved problems together and expected every person to carry their share.

My first steps into public safety came early. I served as a medic and volunteered as a firefighter, roles that demanded urgency, clarity, and calm under pressure. I still consider those years the purest form of leadership training I ever received.

Those civil service experiences shaped the instincts I've carried into the past twenty-six years of security work. I've moved through aerospace, autonomy, high tech, supply chain operations, and intelligence programs. My responsibilities have expanded across borders and industries.

The problems got bigger, but my mindset stayed the same. Prepare, adapt, protect the people who rely on you.

My work has traveled far, but my life has stayed anchored in Pittsburgh. Over time, I noticed something here that echoed patterns I'd seen around the world. Robotics firms are growing in old industrial corridors. AI startups shaping new industries. Logistics companies are modernizing at a record pace. Emergency services are trying to keep up with new technical demands.

The threats, risks, and opportunities I saw globally began showing up in my own backyard.

That realization prompted me to spend more energy locally. Not to retreat from global work, but to invest my skill set where it mattered most: the city I call home.

I speak about Pittsburgh the way many locals do. I respect its quiet confidence and its refusal to be defined by trends. I see the same resilience I grew up with reflected in the city's neighborhoods, labs, and machine shops.

My family's life here solidified that connection. Schools, friendships, and a pace that fits my rhythm. I decided that if I was going to guide companies on the future of security, I wanted to do it in the place I trusted the most.

Pittsburgh's tech scene sits at a crossroads of robotics, AI, and advanced manufacturing. I see both promise and new risk. The region needs stronger bridges between physical security, digital risk, and emerging AI systems, not as a reaction, but as a foundation.

The most effective leaders in modern security are those who understand both the human and technical sides of risk. Pittsburgh, with its mix of engineers, first responders, and industrial grit, is built for that kind of collaboration.

I'm not trying to be a figurehead for Pittsburgh innovation. My goal is simpler. I would like to contribute. I want to help local organizations build resilience before disruption hits. I want to share global insight in a way that strengthens the region I live in.

For a kid from a small rural town who once woke up to fire calls in the middle of the night, the path to Pittsburgh's tech future might seem unexpected. I see it differently. Everything connects—every lesson matters. And the values that shaped me are the same ones I bring into today's evolving risk landscape.