Vermont has been part of my story from the very beginning.
My parents were living in Dummerston when I was born, and even though I grew up in New York, I think Vermont got into me early. When I moved to Burlington more than 20 years ago, it took me about five minutes to know I wanted to stay. My wife Erin and I built our life here, bought our first home here, and are raising our kids here.
My path here was not a straight line. After law school, I took a job at a corporate law firm on Wall Street. It looked good on paper, but it felt empty. Around that same time, I was going through a difficult period in my personal life that forced me to think more seriously about what kind of life I wanted to live and what it meant to truly serve other people. That experience changed me. It pushed me away from a career that was successful in the conventional sense and toward a life rooted in service, compassion, and justice.
That journey brought me to Vermont and to public service. I became a prosecutor because I believe justice work is, at its core, about people. It is about victims, families, communities, and also about understanding the lives of people who end up in the system. Over the years, I have served in a number of roles in and around the justice system, and each one has only deepened my belief that we need a system that is both compassionate and accountable. We cannot ignore harm, and we cannot ignore people either.
That same commitment to service also led me to the priesthood. My time as a priest and hospital chaplain shaped me in profound ways. It taught me how to sit with people in grief, in fear, and in pain. It taught me humility. It taught me how much people need to feel seen, heard, and cared for, especially in the hardest moments of their lives. I carry those lessons with me in everything I do.
Today, I am running for Chittenden County State’s Attorney because I love this community and I believe we can do better. I believe we need a justice system that works for the whole community. One that takes public safety seriously, treats people with dignity, and is honest about the challenges we face.
I am running because I believe in Chittenden County, and because I believe we are ready to turn the page.
