July 28, 1993 was a tragic moment in my life. My father had passed away, leaving my mom and five kids in the Los Angeles area in a one bedroom apartment. This was a turning point for me; being the oldest of the kids, I started working at an early age to help support my family working two jobs and going to school. At age 18, I graduated from Mayfair High school, in Ca. and enlisted in the United States Army. The Army has instilled leadership, professional development and many positive qualities that I use now.

I am a graduate of the University of Washington, Tacoma with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and currently in the Masters program at UWT. I have a beautiful family, my wife Melinda, my son Alexavier (4yrs old), Nehemiah (20 months) and Anneliese (3 weeks old). I have been in Washington since 2000 while stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA. I served eleven years in the United States Army achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant of an Infantry and Transportation company. I am a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom III, and awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat. I have over 10 years of experience in leadership roles, supervising diverse teams and managing challenging situations and assignments within the United States and at various international locations.

I have significant volunteer hours with Special Olympics, coaching soccer, and volunteering with ROTC programs. I have been with the BGCSPS since September of 2007 and was employed part-time at the Lakewood Club in October 2007. On July 14, 2008 I was promoted to Director of Military Outreach for BGCSPS. As the Director of Military Outreach I will provide guidance and role modeling to staff and members for support of the military community and families. Ensure that staff understand and effectively communicate BGCSPS commitment to the military partnership and desire to support military dependent youth and their families within the parameters of BGCSPS operations. Also, coordinate Department of Defense Army site visits, inspections and evaluations. Working in the BGCSPS, I have adopted about 200 smiles a day, every time I walk into a Club. I love the atmosphere and especially when those kids walk in the front door of the clubs and their faces light up with a smile.

In my spare time, I love spending time with my family especially going to Chucky Cheese with my kids. My hobbies are soccer, collecting memorabilia’s, and cars.