Passions

For as long as memory serves, I have been an avid car guy.  My interest in cars is one which has evolved with me and has consistently captured my attention over the years.  As a child, I loved wandering the fields of the fall AACA  meet, taking in all of the magnificent sights, while my nostrils filled with the sweet smell of fresh Hershey’s chocolate.  In high school and college, I started collecting projects with the intention of restoring them to their former glory.  Near the end of college I began a Facebook group for Model T aficionados has grown by leaps and bounds annually, having over 10,000 members at this point.  In recent years, I have found new homes for some of my projects, and am now focusing on a group of core projects which I can tackle in my spare time.

 

Before starting with the USPTO, I volunteered extensively at the Legal Aid Society of Rockland County over a three year period.  While there I worked with the Children’s Rights Division and the Civil Division for Housing.  The Legal Aid Society holds a special place in my heart as it was there where I had the chance to learn about the innate goodness which the law embodies.  Seeking fair and equitable outcomes for clients, normally disenfranchised by a costly and complex legal system, was simultaneously rewarding and edifying.  With my experiences at Legal Aid, I was very excited when the USPTO launched its Pro Bono Program and its Pro Se Assistance Program.  As these programs grow, I hope to find ways to contribute to their future success by making intellectual property protection more readily attainable for people of all walks of life.

 

For some people, music is background sound only meant to drown out tire noise on long car trips; I am not one of those people.  I was introduced to the joy of music at a young age, both playing and listening.  For over 15 years, I probably picked up my great uncle’s violin nearly every single day.  While I never became a famous virtuoso, being an amateur violinist brought me a great deal of happiness which was never explained in Leopold Auer’s Book as being one of the benefits of pursuing the instrument.  My interest in the violin lead me to take an excellent acoustics elective as well as taking on an extended project of building a violin.  While I do not have the time to devote to playing that I once did, music is still part of my daily life; music streaming services providing a soundtrack to my work day and live concerts providing the occasional sensational sojourn into music beyond headphones.  Having some of the nation’s greatest musical venues a metro ride away from the office almost makes it too easy to attend world class concerts.

 

While not an all out adventurer, I am an enthusiast of life’s many offerings.  While I do appreciate the occasional pause, I’m not the type of person to be content sitting still for too long. I enjoy keeping busy and active.  Whether while working or recreating, feeling active and productive are important to me.  Brisk walks in the crisp air of the Adirondacks, rowing against the current on a glacial lake, relaxing on the porch eating a well fashioned burger at dusk, and snow tubing in the North Country have made the list over the last year.  What opportunity will come next?  Who knows, but I’m eager to find out.