Purpose comes first.My focus in work and life is to make a difference. I am motivated to tackle difficult problems that that might not otherwise be attempted. Fun, creativity and teamwork are important to me. Determination, resiliency, and seeing the big picture are among my greatest strengths. As a competitive athlete, I excel at the longest, most exhausting events, preferably over rough water with multiple hazards. I imagine the route ahead of me, budget my reserves over the course, and pull from deep commitment to finish with maximum power.Similarly, when faced with issues in life or the natural environmental, I am tenacious and creative in my pursuit of resolutions. I also try to emulate how Elon Musk tackles difficult problems by searching for the right questions, trying to be less wrong. Most environmental issues are essentially design problems. We can do better.Reducing plastic pollution is my current focus. Did you know that plastic debris is extremely common in the soil of places such as community gardens and boulevards? Did you know that harmful plastic additives leach into plant tissue and that physical pieces of plastic may even enter food crops through their roots? Is plastic-riddled soil what you expected for your landscaping project? Have you checked, carefully? Plastic debris is hard to recognize at first, but afterwards you'll begin seeing it everywhere, and you'll never accept garbage quality soil again.