I was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota but soon adopted Texas as my home state. Here, I've been able to explore the wide open spaces and wide open skies. The Boy Scouts showed me the out doors are my natural habitat. In the course of earning my Eagle, I also learned to importance of service, community, and character. While in high school I discovered I had a passion for the mechanical and cars in particular. Upon graduation, I applied to the University of Texas at Austin to pursue Mechanical Engineering and Plan II Liberal Arts Honors. I've spent the past four years as a member of Texas Crew, the University's Men's Rowing Team, and now, as I've used up my eligibility, I'm looking for a new physical challenge. My time at UT has been absolutely incredible. I want to spend my last year having an adventure and making a difference.

Cancer, to me, is a fear of the unknown. Even though I’m young now, I know a time will come when I need to fight for myself, my friends, or my family. I don't want to wait for that time to find me; I want to do what I can now. I've always believed that if you want to make something different, you need to take it upon yourself to make it happen. Mahatma Gandhi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world." Texas 4000 gives me a chance for a world in which cancer is a disease of the past.