Legislation and policies are needed that prioritize economic responsibility to ensure the prosperity and well-being of future generations
Lessons from growing up in a small town and even more growing up in college
I grew up in Youngstown, NY, a metropolis with a population of about 2,000. The big news was when a blinking light was installed on Main Street. During grade school, most days were spent playing whatever sport was in season: baseball, football, basketball, hockey, soccer. Summer jobs in high school were on local farms, mostly planting and picking and packing cabbage and tomatoes. To this day, I am not a big fan of cabbage. In high school I played football and basketball and - being of average height, weight, and talent - was at best an average player. But I had fun, made some great friends, and learned the benefits of hard work and perseverance and the importance of teamwork – lessons that have served me well throughout my life.
My first year at college I was a terrible student. All too often I considered class attendance to be optional and prioritized parties over the library - I believe very immature is the best descriptor. I ended up dropping out and moved to San Diego and worked for a landscaper. After a year of low-paying, hard physical labor I returned to college with a new attitude and eventually completed a B.S. and an M.S. in chemical engineering at UC San Diego and an MBA at UC Irvine.
Climbing the ladder at work
My first job after school was researching air pollution formation in and control technologies for combustion equipment and that lead to a position managing a team measuring air pollution emissions from power plants, refineries, and other industries. Most of these measurements require climbing large smoke stacks. All too often measurement equipment malfunctioned and/or industrial processes shut down during the first test attempt (or second, third…) and these experiences reinforced the understanding that accomplishment requires perseverance.
The Peace Corps Experience - I live in the United States and I have nothing to complain about
In 2000 and 2001 I was in the Peace Corps stationed in rural western Kenya. The area was mostly populated with subsistence farmers and had no running water or electricity, and people generally lived in mud huts and had a four mile walk to the market and a paved road. Many in the community ran very low on food in the weeks and months before the harvest and kids went hungry. HIV and malaria were endemic. I gave talks on the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, assisted with some water projects, and spent a lot of time playing with the local kids. I wish I could say I made a significant improvement in the lives in my community, but I don’t think I did. Extreme poverty and endemic disease are very high hurdles to surmount. What I did learn was that as a citizen of the United States, I have nothing to complain about. I have opportunities that most people of western Kenya can barely conceive and with hard work I have a great life.
Reducing air pollution and green house gas emissions
For the past 20 years I have worked as an engineering consultant, primarily on projects to characterize and reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the U.S. oil and gas and electricity generation industries. Many projects were research and development (R&D) and investigated a new emissions source, a new emission measurement method or technology, and/or a new or modified emission control system. Successful project implementation generally required 1.) researching the best available data for the emissions source/measurement method/control system; 2.) developing a project plan with clearly defined objectives and approach; 3.) conducting the research and analyzing the results; and 4.) communicating the results through reports and presentations. Understanding and optimizing complex systems and equipment is often an incremental process and quite often lessons learned during a project would be used to develop another phase of R&D.
Federal, state, and local regulations limit emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants and my job requires understanding a wide range of regulations. When new regulations impacting the U.S. energy industry are proposed, we are often tasked with analyzing the emissions data and rule implementation cost-effectiveness (e.g., cost to reduce 1 ton of emissions) calculations and assumptions that are the basis for the rule. We then write comments refuting and/or supporting the supporting emissions data, cost-effectiveness estimates, and proposed regulatory text. This experience provided an understanding of the development of data-based regulations that cost-effectively accomplish their intent.
In sum, in addition to an understanding of the regulatory development process, my professional career has resulted in a skill set that includes planning and organization, fact- and best data-based research and analysis, collaboration with groups from a wide range of disciplines, and oral and written communication. Skills that I believe will make me an effective legislator.
Lucky to live here
I have been extremely fortunate to live in California for 45 years and in Huntington Beach for the past 20 years. We live in an awesome area and I have made some wonderful friends. I enjoy biking (from Huntington Beach up to Seal Beach or down to Newport Beach and Laguna Beach), beach volleyball, hikes in Laguna, ski trips to Mammoth, and restaurants all over. I would like to resurrect my diminished running career (ran a few marathons back in the day), but my creaky knees may have the final say on that issue…