I was born in Japan shortly after World War II to military parents — which meant I grew up everywhere and nowhere at once. Three high schools, five other schools across the US and Germany. You learn fast that adaptation isn't a skill you develop; it's one you survive into. That lesson never left me.

College gave me footing: a BS from James Madison University, a Master's in Public Administration from American University. Then a White House internship, working with a classified group on gas rationing during the Arab Oil Embargo — my first real look at how decisions made in rooms get felt by ordinary people waiting in lines. I began my career at the EPA before spending 43 years at SAIC and Leidos, climbing from Research Assistant to Senior Vice President and Group Manager, leading teams and managing multi-million-dollar projects across the US, Europe, and Asia.

It was a tough journey. Also a rewarding one.

My insights come from three distinct wells.

First — Decades as a senior executive in a multi-billion-dollar company, where I learned the intricate dance of leadership and strategic thinking.

Second — growing up as an Army brat. Change, resilience, surviving. This created my need to constantly crave change and movement which always led to learning and growth.

Third — the world itself, from luxury penthouses to war-torn streets, where humanity's peaks and valleys offer their most profound lessons.

Each post is written to offer you my practical wisdom for your own journey.