MTR

I was born and raised in Scioto County, Ohio. At that time Portsmouth (the county seat) was a good sized city of 50 thousand or so and supported a way of life that has no equal. After graduating from Northwest High School, I attended Ohio State where I received a degree in Political Science, a job working for House Speaker Vern Riffe and a wife. In reverse order of importance.

After seven years as an Ohio House staffer and with the Speaker's blessing I went back to school with a mission to help the people of Appalachian Ohio. I made it back to the hills, but not my hills.

With a masters specializing in Appalachian folk culture, I have worked for the WV Commission on the Arts and taught English for five years at WV State College.

I am currently semi-retired as a stay-at-home dad in central Virginia, giving my wife the opportunity to pursue her career as an insurance executive. I hope to use my flexible if hectic schedule to communicate to the public issues about the Appalachian people that I feel are not being addressed.