On July 8, 2004, at the age of 18, I was involved in a catastrophic accident, while vacationing with my family on Long Island. After diving into the ocean and hitting an unforeseen sandbar, I was instantly rendered a C5-C6 quadriplegic.
Life changed dramatically that day, but it did NOT end!
Even though many people said it would be impossible, I proudly graduated cum laude from Georgetown University in the spring of 2010, after double majoring in finance and marketing, and being one of the most "active" people on campus. As an undergraduate, I co-founded the largest privately funded scholarship at Georgetown in memory of a friend's father, served as the student representative on Georgetown's Board of Directors for two years, was a key student leader in the development of the Healey Family Student Center, and was one of Georgetown's biggest sports fans. I decided to continue my education at Georgetown and earned my Masters of Professional Studies in Sports Industry Management in 2012. During that graduation weekend, I was presented with the Ignatian Student Award, given to one student who embodies Georgetown's Jesuit ideals and makes a significant impact to the community while maintaining academic excellence.
Currently, I work in Marketing at EVERFI, an international technology company driving social change through digital education. Previously, I worked at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Washington, DC for almost eight years serving as the Campaign Manager of the national “If You See Something, Say Something®” campaign and in roles within the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. I have also had amazing opportunities to intern at The White House in Washington, DC, Merrill Lynch in New York City, NY and Vineyard Vines in Stamford, CT.
Since my life-changing accident, I have maintained a positive attitude and believe that this happened for a reason. I enjoy speaking candidly about my accident and daily outlook to various groups of people, including schools, nonprofits and large companies. I serve as an advocate for The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and work passionately to increase the employment opportunities for people with disabilities as a co-founder of the Georgetown University Conference on Employment of People with Disabilities. Furthermore, I am philanthropically committed by serving on the Board of Directors of the Delbarton Alumni Association and A Place To Be® and in my work with organizations such as NextStep Fitness, Inc.
At the end of the day though, I am a guy who loves sports, spending time with his friends, enjoys a good movie, likes to laugh and is searching for ways to make a difference in this world.