Hobbies/Interests

I'm a tech person who favors elegance, simplicity, and speed over flashy or overblown solutions. It's definitely subjective, but I strive to apply the "right amount" of technology in balanced ways to enrich life. I enjoy programming puzzles and finding better ways to do things. I'm fascinated by business topics, IT security, odds & probabilities, massively parallel processing, and artificial intelligence (especially evolutionary algorithms and machine learning).

When I was younger I read A LOT. Then came computers. I do still enjoy a good read, but these days I'm more likely to be learning something online. I also enjoy strategy and tactical games, though I don't spend the time to play much these days.

Outside my head I enjoy the freedom of individual sports like skiing (snow and water), horseback riding, scuba diving, and motorcycle driving. I was also active in University of Florida bands and a member of various (mostly service-oriented) clubs and organizations. I found my wife in Gator Band and we still meet up with fellow band geeks every now and then. My newest personal guilty pleasure is locksport.

And of course there are now kiddo-related interests and scouting and hobbies which almost always take precedence over my own hobbies, but it's a win-win. The melting pot of special moments and connections with these marvelous beings creates something inspiringly joyful (seasoned with the occasional hot pepper).

Work

I've been with American Coastal Insurance Corp since February of 2019, first as a Manager of IT Compliance contractor, then Director of IT Compliance and Security, then VP & Chief Information Security Officer, and now SVP of IT & CISO. The pace is thrillingly fast, and working there inspires me to be a better version of myself. It's a place where the staff fire on all cylinders and accomplish objectives at break-neck speeds, made possible with the relentless drive of its "all-in" and highly-accountable culture and leadership.

Before that I had been working with Time Inc. and its various business units for 17 years. I loved the sheer variety and endless opportunities to get involved and learn new things. The Time Inc. family experienced so much evolution and transformation over that time that it stayed fresh and challenging.

Personality Indicators

The exercise of picking six "what really matters" competency cards for my personality yields: Family, Integrity, Learning, Trust, Play, and Curiosity. In terms of Myers–Briggs Type Indicator assessments, I'm in the INTP/ISTP ballpark. The straddle comes down to information processing—I'm comfortable both functioning on a plane of connecting concepts and models across domains as well as executing in the "gory" details of where the rubber meets the road.

Family

I am a husband to my amazing wife of 21 years. She is a Clinical Nurse Leader, former president of the Tampa Bay Area Mothers of Multiples, and all-around super woman. I am also a father to my triplet 11-year-old daughters and 14-year-old son. Attempts to describe them fall short of justice. My son is a genius and intensely free-spirited. The girls each constantly surprise and amaze everyone they encounter for all the best reasons. Being a parent and role-model to these four is the most rewarding challenge I have ever faced. Look out, world!

Both of my parents defied expectations and the norms of their environments to pursue higher education. Mom's skill and dedication to her craft led her to the top of her field in feline veterinary medicine. Dad was a scientist who rose to command top Army research institutions. We moved frequently. His career journey led to our time growing up in Brazil and Thailand, spending years 11-15 of my youth exposed to cultures and experiences that influenced my perspective and development. Growing up, my younger sister and I got along more often than not and were frequently complimented by others on the respect we afforded each other. She spent much of her career as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor for her county. She went back to school to become a doctor, and now she's a Family Medicine Physician.