MARSHFIELD – Three seats are open for the 2026 Marshfield School Board Spring Election.
Two seats are three-year terms, and the third seat is for one year to fill a vacancy.
A primary election will be held Feb. 17 to narrow a field of seven candidates down to six.
Over the next two editions, the Hub City Times will profile these candidates.
Are you able to prioritize this role among your other professional and personal responsibilities?
I will not prioritize this over my personal and professional responsibilities. God is first, my family, which includes five children are next. I own and run a business and that comes second to my family. I will fold school board duties into my day-to-day schedule and make sure that I focus on it when I need to.
What’s your connection to the school?
I have five children, three in this district.
What specifically motivates you to seek this position?
The board helped to put us citizens into massive debt again, which opened them up to more free state funding. That needs to not happen again.
Why are you running for school board and what are your qualifications?
As stated in my previous answer, the high debt we are in and making sure our children are being properly educated. My qualifications are, I am a parent, my wife and I are both veterans with leadership and budgeting experience.
How do you approach working with people you strongly disagree with?
(No comment)
What is one thing about yourself that the public might not know, but should?
I am a lot nicer than I come off as. Just don't tell anyone.
How do you want to be remembered after your time on the board ends?
I want to be remembered for asking hard questions, and never voting for a huge omnibus, massive debt causing referendum.
What changes would you like to work on during the upcoming term?
I would love to see the school board become more open and transparent.
What are the top needs of your school district?
Currently ELA and math scores are down at the high school level. That needs to be worked on.
How will you address the different needs of all the students?
Students or their parents will be welcome to approach me in public, at my gunsmithing business or on social media to speak to me about needs and concerns. If I regularly receive requests or complaints for the same thing, I'll put out a poll on social media and depending on the response, bring it to the school board as a new item.
Are you able to prioritize this role among your other professional and personal responsibilities?
Absolutely. I understand the time, preparation, and energy this role requires, and I am prepared to make it a priority. I run my own solo law practice while raising three children, so managing competing demands thoughtfully and responsibly is part of my daily life. I am intentional about how I use my time, and I follow through on commitments. If elected, I will be present at meetings, prepared for decisions, and fully engaged in the work of the board, both inside the boardroom and in the broader community.
What’s your connection to the school?
I am a parent of three children currently in Marshfield school, one in middle school, and one in high school, so I’m connected to the district every day through my family. I have also worked in the district as a special education aid and a substitute teacher, which gave me firsthand experience inside classrooms and alongside educators. As a parent, I have navigated both the IEP and 504 processes, so I understand how policies and decisions play out for real students and families. Those experiences allow me to see the district from multiple perspectives and keep my focus on what truly supports students.
What specifically motivates you to seek this position?
My involvement with the recent referendum and regular attendance at school board meetings showed me how easily confusion and misinformation can spread when people don’t feel connected to the process. I saw firsthand that many concerns were not rooted in bad faith, but in a lack of clear, accessible information and understanding of the board’s role. I am motivated to help close that gap by improving how information is shared, clearly explaining how decisions are made, and strengthening the connection between the district and the community. I want more people to feel informed, welcome, and confident engaging in conversations about our schools, because strong public schools depend on an engaged and trusting community.
Why are you running for school board and what are your qualifications?
I am running because I care deeply about public education and about Marshfield. Our school’s matter to families, to educators, and to the long-term health of the community, and I believe thoughtful leadership at the board level makes a real difference. I bring experience as a parent of three students in the district, as someone who has worked inside the schools, and as an attorney who regularly works with policy, budgets, and complex decision-making. I understand the board’s role and its limits, and I value steady, transparent leadership that keeps students at the center while supporting the educators and staff who do the work every day.
How do you approach working with people you strongly disagree with?
I’d start by listening. Disagreement does not bother me, and I do not take it personally. I try to understand where people are coming from, especially when issues are emotional or strongly felt. From there, I stay focused on facts, policy, and the board’s responsibilities, and I am clear about how decisions are made and why. Even when there is disagreement, respect, transparency, and consistency help keep conversations productive and focused on what is best for students and the district.
What is one thing about yourself that the public might not know, but should?
One thing people may not know about me is that I lead by listening. I take the time to hear different perspectives, especially when issues are complex or emotionally charged, before forming an opinion. I’m thoughtful and deliberate in how I approach decisions, and I don’t rush to react just to be the loudest voice in the room. That approach matters on a school board, where the best decisions come from careful consideration, respectful dialogue, and steady judgment focused on long-term outcomes for students and the community.
How do you want to be remembered after your time on the board ends?
I would like to be remembered as someone who brought consistency, clarity, and a steady hand to the board’s work. Someone who kept students at the center of decisions, respected and supported teachers and staff, and helped strengthen trust between the district and the community. Ideally, I would like people to feel the board was more understandable, more accessible, and more focused on long-term outcomes because I was there.
What changes would you like to work on during the upcoming term?
I would like to focus on improving how the board communicates with the public, supporting staff retention, and ensuring policies and budgets align with the district’s long-term goals. I am interested in making sure decisions are explained clearly and consistently so the community understands both the reasoning and the limits of the board’s role. My approach would be steady and forward-looking, not reactive to short-term pressure.
What are the top needs of your school district?
Clear and effective communication, responsible budgeting, strong support for staff recruitment and retention, and meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. These needs are closely connected—when staff feel supported and the community understands decisions, students benefit. Addressing them requires consistency, realistic planning, and a focus on long-term stability rather than quick fixes.
How will you address the different needs of all students?
By supporting policies and budgets that recognize students learn in different ways and need different supports to succeed. That includes special education services, English Language Learner supports, advanced academic opportunities, and attention to student well-being. The board’s role is to ensure the systems, resources, and priorities are in place so educators can meet students where they are and help them move forward.
Are you able to prioritize this role among your other professional and personal responsibilities?
Yes — and I understand how important that is for a school board member.
I’ve proven through my professional and community leadership roles that I can manage responsibility, stay organized, and follow through. I’m used to balancing priorities, meeting deadlines, and putting in the time and work when it matters.
I believe there’s truth to the idea that you bring a busy person onto your team because they know how to prioritize, listen carefully, and get things right the first time. If elected, I will treat this role with the seriousness it deserves by being prepared, showing up, listening, and doing the work outside of meetings—while keeping students at the core of every decision. Students deserve steady leadership, and I’m committed to serving effectively.
What is your connection to the school?
My connection to the school district is personal and lifelong. I’m a proud graduate of the Marshfield School District and Marshfield High School (Class of 2017), and I wouldn’t be where I am today without the educators and staff who supported and challenged me. Those experiences shaped who I am and gave me a deep respect for the work our schools do every day. Now, I want to give back by helping ensure every student has the support, opportunities, and environment they need to learn, grow, and succeed.
What specifically motivates you to seek this position?
My motive for running for School Board is to give back to the people and the district that helped shape who I am today including the teachers, staff, coaches, advisors, mentors and community members who invested in me as a student. I will serve and lead with a student’s first mindset while also supporting the educators and staff who make student success possible every day. I’m committed to being fair, unbiased, and steady voice, and to helping strengthen trust through transparency, communication and collaboration.
Why are you running for school board and what are your qualifications?
My relevant experience comes from professional, community and leadership roles centered on communication, service, and long-term problem solving. Professionally, I work in training, business development, and data-driven decision-making, helping teams implement practical solutions with measurable results. In the community, I’ve served local and state boards where collaboration, transparency, and accountability are essential. I’ve worked with diverse groups, listened to different perspectives, and helped move projects forward respectfully and productively. As a Marshfield School District graduate, I’m committed to putting students first, supporting a positive district culture, and making fair, unbiased decisions for long-term success.
How do you approach working with people you strongly disagree with?
In my work and community roles today, I regularly collaborate with people who have different opinions, priorities and ways of doing things. When I strongly disagree with someone, my approach is to stay professional, listen first, and focus on the goal, not the conflict. I ask questions, make sure I understand where they’re coming from, and I stick to facts rather than emotion or assumptions.
Even when I don’t agree, I treat people with respect and work toward solutions that move things forward. I don’t believe progress comes from arguing, it comes from communication, trust, and accountability.
I believe that same approach applies to serving on the School Board. I will lead with a Students First mindset, keeping decisions grounded in what helps students learn, grow, and succeed. Even in tough conversations, I’ll focus on building strong relationships and making fair, unbiased decisions based on policy, facts, and long-term outcomes.
What is one thing about yourself that the public might not know, but should?
One thing many people don’t know is that I don’t have children yet, but I care deeply about Marshfield’s future. Our schools shape the next generation of workers, leaders, and community members. That’s why I’m running, to serve with fairness, transparency, and to put students first keeping them at the core of every decision.
How do you want to be remembered after your time on the board ends?
I want to be remembered as someone who kept students at the core of every decision and served with fair, unbiased leadership. Someone who listened first asked the hard questions, and made decisions based on facts, policy, and long-term outcomes, not pressure or personal agendas.
I also want to be remembered for helping strengthen trust and transparency between the district and the community, and for supporting a positive culture where staff and students felt valued.
Most importantly, I want people to say that when I served, the district became more stable, more connected, and more focused on helping every student learn, grow, and succeed.
What changes would you like to work on during the upcoming term?
During the upcoming term, if elected, I want to focus on two key improvements—both centered on putting students first.
First, I want to bring new energy and a next-generation mindset to the district. Energy that both faculty and students can feel and work to match. When leadership is positive and forward-thinking, it strengthens culture, morale, and ultimately student success.
Second, I want to improve transparency and communication with the entire community, not just parents. Students are impacted by every decision, and the public deserves clear updates and honest explanations behind district priorities. Strong schools are built on strong relationships, and that trust starts with openness, consistency, and communication.
What are the top needs of your school district?
Marshfield School District’s biggest challenge is protecting and strengthening a positive culture while navigating increasing expectations, staffing pressures and limited resources. Culture impacts everything including student success, staff retention, and community trust.
Like many districts, Marshfield faces challenges in recruiting and retaining high-quality faculty and that affects consistency for student development and the overall culture of our schools. At the same time, schools are being asked to meet a wider range of student needs. Maintaining a culture where students feel safe and supported, and where educators feel respected, heard, and empowered to put students first, is essential to long-term success.
How will you address the different needs of all the students?
To address the different needs of all students, I believe we have to start by strengthening the culture across the district. I want to help improve collaboration and consistency among staff because when educators feel supported, respected and aligned as one team, students benefit.
Every student learns differently, and success can look different depending on the student. My focus is making sure we provide a balanced, high-quality education for all students.
At the same time, I believe schools do more than teach curriculum, we help build character, responsibility, and strong values. Ultimately, I want every student to graduate with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to succeed no matter what path they choose after high school.
To be continued next week
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