I was raised just north of San Francisco in Mill Valley, California and understood from an early age the importance of our rights and traditions. I was more at home in the outdoors with my Boy Scout troop or other camps than I ever was in the classroom. Most of my free time as a child was spent camping, riding horses in the backcountry or at the camp rifle range, and the importance and respect for both land and animals was a constant topic of discussion with my father.I also developed a healthy respect for the responsibilities of being a citizen through practical lessons and experience provided by many significant adults in my youth. Being dyslexic, I struggled through school but was able to graduate from Emory University in Atlanta with degrees in Political Science and History. I was also privileged to study Economics and Politics at University of Oxford in England. My academic challenges uncovered an inability to accept failure as an outcome. Rather than embrace the notion that my condition limited my abilities, I strove to always find a way to accomplish my assignments or other goals. Understanding the importance of teamwork to offset my deficits greatly contributed to my achievements. These struggles with the seemingly impossible have served me well and have had a terrific impact on where I have gone and what I have been able to accomplish. I am also proudly serving as a auxiliary officer candidate in the Colorado Mounted Rangers, Colorado’s oldest law enforcement agency. I can frequently be found outside enjoying the majesty of Colorado with my family and friends.I have never involved myself in politics other than to vote or to write the occasional letter to legislators. Like most Americans, I let others be my proxy in defense of my rights. That changed in early 2013 as I watched legislative tyranny being forced upon the law-abiding citizens of Colorado.