Brief Biography

    I am in my seventh term as a State Representative, having run for the first time in 2012 at the request of fellow Dover citizens. In my work at the State House, I have found that my experience as an educator, scholar, writer, editor, and parent provides me with skills I frequently apply to my legislative duties: listening, research, analysis of complex issues, clear writing, and the capacity to reach effective consensus. 

My wife Jessica teaches at UNH.  My two children attended Dover public schools growing up.  The elder one has graduated from college with a degree in chemistry and is a chemist at a pharmaceutical company.  The younger graduated from college with a degree in physics and comparative literature and is working as an English teaching assistant in Austria.  I  raise a large portion of our food in our garden and orchard and make necessary repairs on our hundred year old house.


I grew up in Maine, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, and received my B.A. from Yale University and my M.A. and Ph.D. from Indiana University, Bloomington.  I have taught in public and private schools, worked as an editor for an internet company, and tutored for a SAT prep company.
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Public Service

• State Representative, Strafford District 17 from  2013-20
  • Ranking Member of House Environment and Agriculture Committee 2021-2026
  • Vice-Chair of House Environment and Agriculture Committee 2019-2020
  • Clerk of House Environment and Agriculture Committee 2017-18
  • Member of House Environment and Agriculture Committee 2013-2024
  • Legislative member of the Strafford County Cooperative Extension Advisory Council 2017-2026
  • Member of the Strafford County Delegation Executive Committee 2015-2024
  • New Hampshire Northeast Organic Farming Association Policy Maker of the year, 2014 and 2024.

• Frances Hopkins Horne Street School Garden
  • Developed plan as a part of the Greening the Grounds committee
  • Co-authored  and edited the successful Timberland community service grant that made the work possible
  • Continue to work with faculty members and volunteers to plan garden planting, maintenance, and harvesting.
  • Established the practice of donating produce grown during the summer months to the Community Action Partnership food pantry.
  • In the Summer of 2020, helped organize using the garden to produce food for those in the community dealing with food insecurity because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, summer garden production goes to food pantries such as the Community Action Partners food pantry and the St. Joseph's food pantry.  Each summer we have provide well over one thousand pounds of produce to local food pantries. Spring and fall production are harvested by children in classes for immediate consumption and by volunteers so garden produce can be included in cafeteria lunches.

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• Dover School District Wellness Committee
  • Had leading role in revising the district’s Wellness Policy
  • Co-authored the Request for Proposals for food service management company

• Dover Open Lands committee  from 2002-2003
  • Co-authored the LCHIP grant to preserve the Cassily property by Whittier Falls, now home of  Dover’s community gardens, and part of  the Dover Community Trail