About Jeremy
Educator, Volunteer, Engineer, Dad
Passion for Teaching
Teachers and teaching have had a strong impact on my life. In third grade I moved to a new school and found that I was behind in math. My teacher, Mrs. Levine, helped me not just catch up, but to accelerate to the advanced math class. I found a love of math that stayed with me through my three engineering degrees and beyond. In high school, I was having trouble deciding what path I wanted to follow. I had a great teacher named Mr. Seemann who introduced me to the science of aviation and his class literally changed the course of my life. It was because of him that I realized that the right teacher at the right time in a student’s life can have a profound impact.
I wanted to pass along my passion for aviation. In college at the US Air Force Academy, I volunteered for an extra course load to become a glider instructor pilot. I taught younger students how to fly and loved watching their confidence grow until they were able to fly a glider entirely on their own without me there. Watching it suddenly “click” for them gave me so much satisfaction and helped me understand how Mrs. Levine, Mr. Seemann, and all my other teachers must have felt over the years.
Since then I have gone on to many other teaching roles. I became a certified FAA flight instructor to teach brand new students how to fly civilian airplanes. I taught at the US Air Force Test Pilot School. I mentored high school students who were considering joining the military. I teach multiple classes at my local synagogue. I love teaching because I know how important teachers are and I want to help others the way that I was helped when I was young.
Service Before Self
I have always been drawn to volunteering and service. It’s not just something I do, it’s a core part of who I am. As a teenager, I joined the Civil Air Patrol, where I trained in local search and rescue missions. Those early experiences taught me the value of preparedness, teamwork, and stepping up when others need help.
After high school, I joined the United States Air Force to serve my country as a pilot. I’ve now been on active duty or in the Air National Guard continuously since 1999. This path has been both a privilege and a responsibility, shaping my character and reinforcing my commitment to something greater than myself.
That same sense of duty carries into my daily life. Several times each month, I volunteer in my daughter’s classroom. It’s deeply rewarding work, and I was humbled to receive the “Rookie of the Year” award from the principal and “Most Valuable Volunteer” from her teacher. I also serve with a volunteer security organization that helps protect my synagogue and its community.
At the heart of it all, I feel a strong calling to give back. My community has given me and my family so much, and I believe we have a responsibility to repay that generosity. I’m especially passionate about efforts that support and uplift our children. There is no higher honor than contributing to the next generation in meaningful, lasting ways.
Engineer & Problem Solver
Engineering is, at its core, a discipline of intellectual honesty. It demands that you correctly define a problem before you attempt to solve it, which is a deceptively simple principle that is far too often skipped in public life. The engineering process I've followed throughout my career follows a rigorous arc: identify the real problem, develop a range of potential solutions, evaluate each one honestly against the evidence, implement the best option, and then assess the results with clear eyes to inform the next decision. That cycle: analytical, iterative, and grounded in outcomes, is exactly the kind of thinking a school board needs.
As an engineering test pilot, I've built a career out of operating in high-stakes environments where the problem isn't always obvious and the right answer isn't always comfortable. That experience has given me a steady disposition when things are uncertain or contentious: slow down, gather the facts, consider the options, and make the call that's best supported by the evidence, not the one that's easiest to defend in the moment.
I'm also deeply inspired by what I see in our own community. As a judge at the PVPUSD Science and Engineering Fair for the past three years, I've watched our students approach hard problems with creativity and rigor. The willingness to test an idea, learn from failure, and try again, is something worth protecting and nurturing in our schools. It's one of the reasons I'm running.
Palos Verdes Dad
Ten years ago, my wife and I faced one of those decisions that quietly shapes everything that follows: where to put down roots. For us, the answer came down to schools. My wife is a graduate of PVPUSD. She lived this education firsthand and her assessment was unequivocal. As the husband of a smart, strong woman, I've learned that when she speaks with that kind of certainty, you listen. We moved to Palos Verdes specifically for the schools, and it is one of the best decisions we've ever made.
Her intuition was exactly right. Our daughter has flourished here, supported by teachers and staff who clearly care about the whole child, not just the curriculum. But what surprised me, honestly, was how much we flourished too. Our family didn't just move to a zip code; we became part of a community. Friendships formed at school pickup have deepened into genuine connections. We've shown up for local events, joined classes, cheered at games, and found ourselves woven into the fabric of a place that feels, without any qualification, like home.
That's not something I take for granted. These schools gave my wife a foundation she still speaks about with pride decades later. They are giving my daughter something I hope she'll carry just as long. When something is that valuable, you don't just benefit from it quietly — you show up to protect and strengthen it. That's what this campaign is about for me.
And yes: I drive a sensible SUV, I know the Trader Joe's parking lot by heart, and I have a standard order at The Red Onion. I am, in every measurable way, a Palos Verdes dad. Guilty as charged.