CURRENT MISSION

Traversing the U.S. as a grad student in search of intellectual stimuli outside the classroom...

ABOUT ME

I'm a Ph.D. student in the Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington where I study public policy and management. I'm lucky to be in an interdisciplinary program that affords me incredible flexibility in my interests; at the broadest level I'm interested in how linear policy theories do not account for how policies may generate unintended outcomes. More topically, I'm interested in the economics of education and workforce policy. I love to talk to people and learn from them, which makes me always excited for an opportunity to meet someone new and interesting.

I've been in Seattle for a couple years. Prior to Seattle I lived on the east coast in New York City and Washington, DC. I've worked as a congressional aide to a Member of Congress, a general contractor, the manager of an ice cream booth, and lots of things in between. I'm a native of Eugene, Oregon, so it's terrific being back in my native homeland i.e. the mighty Pacific Northwest. I'm fortunate that my graduate studies let me travel throughout the United States - I love meeting new people along the way. I'm also happy to welcome people into my home, too.

PHILOSOPHY

Joe, from Pittsburg, once asked Kurt Vonnegut: "Please tell me it will be OK."

Vonnegut's reply:

"Welcome to Earth, young man. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. At the outset, Joe, you've got about a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of: Goddamn it, Joe, you've got to be kind!"

- Kurt Vonnegut, in A Man Without A Country

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I haven't had any formal experience with this site although I've done plenty of couch surfing in Europe and Latin America. I'm excited and eager to embrace the 21st century and start to build community through this avenue.

Interests

Reading, hiking, backpacking, economics, politics, good beer, and engaging conversation.

• education
• beer
• coffee
• drinking
• shopping
• politics
• reading
• traveling
• hiking
• backpacking
• surfing
• economics
• teaching
• public policy

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Drinking cordials with a retired Russian general outside Moscow...getting lost in a silver mine in Bolivia...and sitting in a Seattle coffee shop for eight hours straight while loving every minute.