Who I Am.

At 15, I lost my father in a way no kid should ever have to experience.

 

It shook my world, sending me down paths I could have never imagined—construction jobs, traveling across nearly all 50 states, making mistakes and learning hard lessons along the way.

 

Eventually, those paths led me to the U.S. Marine Corps. I fought my way through selection and boot camp, earning the title of Marine.

Those years were intense. I felt everything—anger, confusion, power—every emotion you could name. While my friends were off in their freshman and sophomore years of college, I was bouncing between countries, in environments that most 19- or 20-year-olds couldn’t imagine. I stood on borders where hatred hung heavy in the air, working on advanced systems for fighter aircraft, managing cryptographic communications, and leading Marines through challenges that shaped me as a leader.

I saw the faces of generals, ambassadors, and leaders—people making real decisions, changing the course of events. Some of them were young, close to the age I am now. Some rallied for peace, for a better way than violence.

And I thought: "I need to do that. I need to have a bigger voice than I do now."

The Marine Corps gave me purpose, a sense of being part of something bigger, but I felt an undeniable pull to do more, to use my voice in ways I hadn’t yet. That realization led me to academia. After finishing my contract honorably, I threw myself into my studies, earning a Cum Laude degree in political science and the President’s Award for Leadership at Flagler College.

But while completing that degree, I realized books wouldn’t be enough to understand the world on a deeper level. I became a freelance journalist, which led me to the Middle East—through the West Bank, Palestine, Egypt, Israel, and everywhere in between. I listened and learned from every person willing to talk to me, immersing myself in conflicts that had spanned generations and understanding the complexities of their pain up close.

At the same time, I began consulting for businesses and universities, teaching them how to harness the transformative potential of generative AI. My work included building and refining tools to help people use AI effectively, from academia to startups. I started connecting the dots between politics and technology, realizing how AI could reshape governance, business, and the human experience in its entirety. This drive led me to the University of Edinburgh, where I’m continuing this mission as a postgrad in their Future Governance program.

Through it all, I’ve woven my passions, my work, and my learning into a single, focused path. Everything is interconnected. My entire life, taken individually, might seem chaotic or misguided, but as a whole, it’s essential. My startup, my time in the military, my experience in journalism and AI consulting—they all support the same goal: to build something meaningful, to create tools and solutions that guide people forward, even when the path is shrouded.

I’ve realized I’ve become someone that the 15-year-old kid, who just lost his father a month after his birthday, would be proud of and excited to become.

I became the person I needed back then. And now, I want to be that person for others—to inspire, to lead, to help change this world.

Not just because I want to—but because I need to.

Become the person that the younger you looks up to, is excited to be, do not compare yourself to everyone else, rather focus on becoming the version of you that makes the younger you excited to keep living, despite the tragedies they may face along the way.

Become a reason for the younger you to live, and you will be the reason the future you grows.