Wake Forest University

BS, Business. Graduated in 2005

Wake Forest Men’s Soccer (2001-2005)

Team Captain, earning All-ACC honors in 2003 & 2004

Major League Soccer

Colorado Rapids (2005)

Drafted by the Rapids in the 4th round, 45th overall, in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft.

Kansas City Wizards (2007-2008)

Signed with Kansas City Wizards at the beginning of the 2007 season.

San Jose Earthquakes (2008)

Signed with the San Jose Earthquakes midseason in 2008.

NASL / USSF Division 2

Carolina Railhawks (2009-2010, 2012)

Played 3 seasons with the Carolina Railhawks anchoring the midfield and helping the club reach the championship final in 2010 and the semifinals in 2009 and 2012.

Montreal Impact (2011)

Signed with the Montreal Impact ahead of the 2011 NASL season, the club’s final campaign before entering MLS.

During my last 2 seasons playing professional soccer I began to explore my creative side through photography and mixed media art. This creative exploration led me to create my photography and art business, which helped me navigate my transition away from playing professional soccer.

Entrepreneurship

Photography and Art Business (2011-2017)

Upon retirement from pro soccer and deciding my next career steps, I gained valuable experience building and maintaining a small business selling artwork, taking freelance photography clients and selling my images wholesale to retail clients in Raleigh, NC and Washington, DC.

Executive Leadership

Open Goal Project (2015-present)

Co-founded Open Goal Project in 2015 and currently holds a leadership role for the 501c3 nonprofit organization as the Executive Director.

In 2019, Open Goal Project established District of Columbia Football Club, a free-to-play youth academy to bridge the gap between marginalized communities in DC and high level youth soccer.

Grassroots Coaching

Varsity High School Head Coach (2016-2018)

My passion for coaching was heightened and accentuated during my time as a head coach at Cardozo High School in Washington, DC. Coaching a team who were majority immigrants from low-income families and marginalized communities was a leadership experience much more about life than the game of soccer. I thoroughly enjoyed and cherished my time giving back to my community in such a simple and organic way.

Leading and Supporting MLS Players

MLS Players Association (2017-2022)

Serving as a Player Relations Manager for the MLSPA has been incredibly purposeful and fulfilling in my 5 year experience. During that time, we’ve negotiated historic improvements in players’ rights, playing conditions, ensured continued growth of team budgets and player salaries, and helped chart the course for MLS to eventually become one of the best league in the world.

My rookie year in 2005 was the 10th anniversary of Major League Soccer, when the league had 12 total teams and very few soccer-specific facilities. I was thrilled to come ‘full circle’ to helping negotiate the CBA in 2020 during the 25th anniversary of MLS.

Community Engagement in DC

Candidate for US Congress (2020)

Since I have been old enough to formulate political ideas of my own I have always had a desire to experience running for elected office in my hometown Washington, DC.

In 2020, I brought my ideas to life by committing to sacrificing my time and energy to participate in the political process. Ultimately, the experience of running for Congress was a tremendous personal growth experience, equipping me with critical professional development experience in the form of developing strategic plans, media training, enhancing interpersonal communication skills, and learning the business of politics in the US.

Continuing Soccer Education

USSF ‘A’ Youth License (2021-2022)

The ‘A’ License Course has been perfectly timed for me personally to help develop, refine, and communicate our DCFC culture and methodology throughout our new club. From a leadership perspective, it has been rewarding to immerse myself in the ‘A’ License material while simultaneously coaching a DCFC U16 boys team and building infrastructure for a new club with a unique approach to youth soccer.