How long have you been a FCCMA member?
I joined FCCMA in 2011.
Are you an ICMA member and if so, how long?
Not currently.
Please describe your areas of formal/advanced education.
Master’s degrees in Public Administration and Urban & Regional Planning (2011). I also earned certificates in Florida City and County Management (through Bob Lee’s program at FSU) and Real Estate Development.
What got you interested in public service?
I’ve been interested in public service as long as I can remember. I was taught at a young age to always leave things in a better condition than I found them. Over time, that ethic evolved into a broader interest in my community. During college I worked as a staff assistant for the Florida Main Street Program and it was there that I first learned about planning, redevelopment, and local government. From a young age, I always thought I would be a lawyer, but my experience with the Main Street program completely changed my focus. As luck would have it, I discovered that FSU offered a joint Master’s degree program in Public Administration and Urban Planning, and the rest is history.
What is your current occupation?
Special Projects Coordinator, Leon County.
Please give a brief job description.
This is always a fun question to answer. I like to equate my job to being a “utility infielder” on a baseball team (someone who can play a few different positions as needed). I recently heard someone describe it as doing the most important things in the County that other people don’t have the workload capacity to do. That’s a pretty accurate assessment – I get the opportunity to work on projects, programs, and new initiatives across the organization.
Please describe your typical day.
The best part about my job is that there’s no such thing as a typical day. On any given day, I could be writing agenda items and reports, presenting to the Board, meeting with community stakeholders to plan a project, tracking legislation, applying for grants, or doing anything else I’m tasked with.
What is your favorite part of the job?
Definitely the dynamic nature of the job. The variety of the job provides great exposure to all of the organization’s different work areas as well as what’s going on around the community. I’m the kind of person that loves to learn, so this works out great for me.
What is your least favorite part of the job?
In an odd way, the variety is also my least favorite part. I’m inquisitive by nature, so I try and learn as much as I can about a work area while I’m on a given project, but the fast-paced nature of local government means that you can’t always dig into a topic as much as you’d like to. There’s a part of me that wants to be a subject matter expert in every area, but I have to remind myself sometimes that the depth of knowledge I’d like to develop just takes time.
What is your most memorable experience on the job?
I had a pretty unique experience working for Flagler County, where I held a similar position prior to joining Leon County. The Florida Agricultural Museum, which is a small nonprofit museum located in Flagler County, was undergoing an executive transition in 2013-14. There was a longstanding relationship between the museum and the County, and in order to help the museum through its transition I had the opportunity to serve half-time as its interim executive director for six months. During that time, I spent most mornings managing the museum – which because it had a very small staff and a few volunteers, included everything from board meetings and fundraising to feeding the cracker cattle and rolling hay bales off a flatbed (I learned how to drive a tractor too!). In the afternoons, I headed back to the County office and coordinated the County’s legislative efforts.
What are hobbies/interests?
My first and foremost interest is spending as much time as I can with my beautiful fiancée Michelle Tipton, who’s currently an ICMA Local Government Management Fellow working for the cities of Clearwater, Oldsmar, and Largo. We’re about four hours apart, so we drive back and forth to see each other every weekend. In between planning our wedding and buying our first house, we’ve been spending time with our furry children (three big dogs and a cat), catching up on some TV shows, and hanging out with old and new friends.
If you could give one piece of advice to young people interested in a career in public service, what would it be?
Be prepared to give 100% of your effort, 100% of the time. Public service (local government in particular) is a demanding career, but it’s also very rewarding if you put in the effort. You’ll develop thick skin as you gain experience, but you have to come in the door with the attitude that you truly care about the work you’re doing.
Who were your mentors and how have you passed this information down to other young public administrators?
Joan Jefferson, who ran the Florida Main Street Program while I worked there, opened the door to local government for me. Dr. Bob Lee really encouraged me to take the next step and has supported me unwaveringly over the years. Craig Coffey and Sally Sherman in Flagler County gave me the opportunity to show what I could do and to develop my skills and experience, and they both gave me the support and direction I needed when I had no idea what I was doing. Finally, Vince Long and Alan Rosenzweig in Leon County placed immeasurable confidence in me from Day 1 and continue to provide guidance and the opportunity to grow as a professional. I take every opportunity I can to pass the knowledge I’ve gained on to younger professionals. Working in Leon County, I’ve had the opportunity to speak to Public Administration student groups on several occasions about careers in local government, and it’s always exciting to meet and talk to the students who attend the FCCMA Annual Conference.
Have you always been in the public sector or have you had experience in the private sector?
I managed a small sporting goods store in college, but since graduate school I’ve worked for the state, FSU, and local government.
What career would you pick if you were to pick another?
If I could go back, I’d do it all over again exactly the same way. But I really enjoy building, fixing, and tinkering with things at home, so I’d like to pick up some trade skills in the near future for some DIY work at home – carpentry, masonry, welding, electrical, etc.
