Key Priorities
Special Needs & Inclusive Education
This one is personal. My son Andy was diagnosed with autism at age 2.5. From that moment on, my family and I became students of a different kind of system — one full of IEP meetings, evaluations, therapy waitlists, and the constant work of advocating for a child who deserves every opportunity. Andy is now 12 years old and making remarkable progress. But I know that progress didn't happen by accident. It happened because my family had the resources, the knowledge, and the persistence to fight for it. Not every family does. And that has to change.
Personal Connection
I don't just talk about special needs education — I live it. I serve on the board of Parents Helping Parents, an organization that supports over 6,000 families a year with children with special needs across the US. I founded Andy's Cafe, a nonprofit coffee shop that employs adults from the autism and special needs community, specifically because I read that 85% of autistic adults with college degrees are unemployed. That statistic stopped me cold. And it drove me to build something that proves the world wrong.
As both a parent of a special needs child and a father of a son currently attending Piedmont Hills High School in the district, I bring unique perspectives on inclusive education and the everyday challenges our students face.
The Problem
Special needs students are often underserved and under-resourced
IEP processes can feel confusing and adversarial for families
Transition-to-adulthood planning is inconsistent or lacking
Inclusive classroom practices vary widely across schools
Families who need the most support often have the least access to it
My Approach
I will bring to the board something most board members don't have:
Lived experience as a special needs parent
Professional experience running an organization that employs adults with autism
A network of advocates, service providers, and community organizations already doing this work
I will be a voice for these students and families at every budget meeting, every policy discussion, and every strategic planning session.
My Proposals
1. IEP Advocacy and Family Support
2. Autism Support Programs
3. Transition-to-Adulthood Planning
4. Inclusive Classrooms
Andy's Cafe exists because I refused to accept that the system couldn't do better. I'm bringing that same refusal to the ESUHSD board. Every student with a disability in this district deserves a future — and I will fight to make sure the district is building one for them.
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