Join me for REAL TALK and FRESH PERSPECTIVES

The Barber for Board campaign values every voice in Pine-Richland. School board directors must stay connected with the community to cast informed votes. Through my PTO work and attending board meetings, I've met many wonderful neighbors, but two-way communication is crucial. To foster this, I’m opening The Barbershop—a space for open discussions about our district.

Mike is a 40-year-old full-time father of 4 (ages 11, 8, 5, and 2). He is a boisterous guy with endless energy and enthusiasm. Mike is originally from Goose Creek, South Carolina (25 minutes outside of Charleston).
Growing up with ADHD, school was never easy for Mike. He recalls numerous teachers telling him that he would not amount to anything.

Thankfully, while in middle school, he started working as a sports reporter for the local paper alongside his father—an attempt to keep Mike out of trouble. This led to him working on the high school newspaper, where his journalism teacher showed him true kindness and support.
While in high school, he became involved in wrestling and swimming. He attended the College of Charleston (CofC) and received a division 1 athletic scholarship for swimming. While in college, Mike continued to struggle with school but he benefited tremendously from teachers that went the extra mile and he ultimately completed his degree at CofC.
While in college, he met Bri, a Pittsburgh native (Shaler, specifically) and an aspiring physician. As Bri embarked on her journey through medical school and residency, Mike worked one on one with adults with intellectual disabilities. This work still holds a special place in his heart and the friendships that were formed with his clients still exist to this day.
It was also during this time that Mike freelanced as a dog trainer, specializing in aggressive dogs that many had written off as lost causes.

Mike and Bri eventually decided that it would be best for their family if Mike became a full-time dad. As they started their family, they made the decision to move to Pine Richland because of its stellar reputation.
Mike has always been a very active parent in the district by volunteering regularly, serving as a homeroom parent and on the Hance PTO board as secretary.

His children have recently taken up the family sport of swimming, and Mike is now coaching part-time with their team. He still trains regularly and his future plans vary between training for an Ironman and opening his own dog-training business.
Mike realizes that his life could have been very different—his high school had a 50% drop out rate and he has had several close friends succumb to drug addiction, including his childhood best friend. He is acutely aware of how incredibly different his future may have played out if he was one of the many students that slipped through the cracks. He realizes the power of a strong education and passionately supports the hard work our teachers put in every day. He is running for this position because he wants to see the focus shift back to the students, and he wants nothing more than to make sure every student gets the support they need.