About me

I moved to Portola Valley in 2006 with my wife, Sally. Since then, we have welcomed two children to our family, along with a few pets. Naomi is now 13, and Kai is 10. Sally is a math teacher at Woodside Priory School, where Naomi is now an 8th grader. Kai is a 5th grader at Corte Madera School.

My “day job” is Energy and Green Building Consulting. I work with a number of Bay Area architects to ensure that their projects, mostly residential, comply with the California Energy Code and the California Green Building Code. Years ago, I was a scientist: I completed a Ph.D. in Genetics at Harvard and worked in pharmaceuticals, biotech, and medical diagnostics. I changed careers shortly after my daughter was born because I wanted to do something to make the world a better place for my children.

I swim, I ski, I play softball and tennis, and I enjoy watching a range of sports.

My work in Portola Valley

I joined the Portola Valley Architecture and Site Control Commission (ASCC) in December of 2008. I served 3 years on the ASCC, including one year as chair in 2011.

In December of 2011, I joined the Town Council. I have been a Council Member for nearly 9 years now and I am currently serving my second term as Mayor. I have worked with Town staff and my colleagues over the years on hundreds of questions and initiatives regarding our budgeting, our planning and building ordinances, road and facility maintenance, and other policies.

I have worked with our local safety agencies such as the Woodside Fire Protection District and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office to provide high levels of service, and to ensure public safety.

I have worked with Town Staff, my Council colleagues, and my colleagues in San Mateo County to continue Portola Valley’s tradition of leadership on environmental issues. In particular, I have been involved with Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE) since its earliest stages of formation in 2015. PCE now provides electric generation services to 98% of San Mateo County customers, providing cleaner electricity at rates below those of PG&E.

In Portola Valley, we have maintained balanced budgets, a very lean professional staff, and high-quality roads and public facilities (such as the Community Hall, our trails, and our athletic fields). We have also worked hard to balance our commitment to minimal development with our obligations to our residents and the greater community.

Looking ahead

I have seen our role in governing grow in complexity over the years. Where we were once isolated from the surrounding communities, we now collaborate with county, Bay Area and Statewide entities to achieve many of our goals.

My top priority as a Council Member has been to maintain the character and values of Portola Valley: rural, visionary, and inclusive.

We have always sought to minimize our footprint on the land, by thoughtfully regulating development. We have achieved this through innovative planning and zoning, and through our own sustainability efforts, including reach codes and technology pilots.

Our cautious approach conflicts at times with the requirements set forward by the State and other agencies. The Council has worked to balance those conflicting needs through collaborative work with our residents, our Staff, and other authorities, meeting our obligations while minimizing the impacts of development on our idyllic environment or our safety. These challenges will grow in the future, but I am confident that we will continue to meet them effectively.