During this period, my son was born with a strong will and exuberant energy. (He has given me a world of challenging growth opportunities filled with incredible life experiences to utilize in future character studies!) I attempted to pass along my mother's love of music and theatre, and in 2017 my son and I were given the opportunity to sing the National Anthem at a USCIS Naturalization ceremony on the USS IOWA Battleship with guest speaker Senator Kamala Harris.

Now, after retiring from over two decades of civil service in the Federal government, I am thrilled at the prospect of reviving my theatrical career!

At an early age, my mother instilled in me (and my 8 siblings) a love for musical performance. When I was a toddler, she took me to her voice lessons, choir concerts, and musical theatre productions. I remember crawling under a grand piano imitating vocal exercises and classical songs during her lessons, accidentally scratching her Broadway musical records as I played them ad nauseam, and performing duets with her at religious celebrations. I expanded my performance career while in high school and eventually pursued music and theatre culminating with a Bachelor of Science at Eastern Michigan University.

In 1986, I graduated from the University of Washington Professional Actor Training Program (piloted by Dr. Robert Hobbs) and was fortunate to be employed at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; thus being guided by talented, seasoned actors and directors. I began my Actor's Equity career in 1988 at A Contemporary Theatre in Seattle, WA performing Charlie in Merrily We Roll Along under the astute direction of Jeff Steitzer with rewrites supplied by the amazing George Furth. I worked in multiple shows at the Seattle Repertory Theatre including the role of Dennis in Sunday in the Park with George (commanded by creative director Laird Williamson and staring Jeff McCarthy), Strangers on Earth, Sunshine, and Foolish Hearts. I enjoyed several seasons at the Bellevue Repertory Theatre (staged at a local Seattle winery!) performing in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Puck), The Taming of the Shrew (Tranio), The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Proteus), and Romeo and Juliet (Mercutio).

I moved to California in 1997 and was lucky to work with talented teams at the Starlight Musical Theatre in San Diego, Reprise! in Los Angeles, the Ensemble Theatre Company in Santa Barbara, the International City Theatre in Long Beach, and the Pacific Coast Light Opera in Huntington Beach. In addition, roles at the remarkable Palm Canyon Theatre in Palm Springs included Max in Lend Me a Tenor, Archibald in The Secret Garden, and Charles in Blithe Spirit. Performances at the marvelous Sierra Repertory Theatre in Sonora included the title role in Phantom, Arthur in Camelot, and Prospero in The Tempest. I was cast as Victor in Noel Coward's Private Lives at the enchanting Ensemble Theatre Company, and in the same year was given the honor of working on the musical world premiere of Frankenstein written by the brilliant composer Carol Weiss and co-directed by Shashin Desai and Caryn Morse Desai at the International City Theatre.

My wife and I were married by officiant Robert Fulghum (author of Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten), and in 2004 I withdrew from performing to start a family. I began my federal career first as a Transportation Security Administration Screener at the Los Angeles International Airport, then as a Customs & Border Protection Officer, and finally a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Officer, eventually transferring to headquarters in Washington D.C. As a USCIS officer, I was given the opportunity to perform the National Anthem at immigration naturalization ceremonies from large venues at the Los Angeles Convention Center to intimate gatherings at the Eisenhower Building on the White House compound. (see DEMO tab)