Vote Ken
for school board
Drastic Change
Can’t Wait!
The Crisis
“We cannot ignore declining academic performance, severely underfunded schools, inverted priorities, and wasted resources. It’s time for decisive change to ensure kids receive the education they deserve.”
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Portland Public Schools is spending billions on new buildings — but inside those classrooms, students are falling behind in reading, math, and science. Graduation rates are up, but real learning is down. Something's broken.
I will compel a relentless focus on teaching and learning in vibrant classrooms with inspired students motivated to achieve — high-dose tutoring, early literacy, learning to learn, more teachers (smaller classes), and research-backed programs.
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Portland's schools are broke because Oregon's tax system is a scam. We can't “support schools" while not fairly taxing corporations and reducing the burden on individual taxpayers. That's like saying, “I love forests but hate trees.”
I will leverage the power of PPS to organize parents, educators, and students in collaboration with lawmakers to draft, propose, and push legislation that prioritizes students — ending "real-time" enrollment funding, killing predatory corporate tax breaks, reallocating unused taxes, reclaiming wasted local taxes.
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PPS presents massive budget books, hundreds of pages long, with complex tables and government jargon. Multiple fund categories heavily use transfers and reserves layered with vague, hidden administrative costs, resulting in revenue streams that are fragmented and conditional.
I will lead the creation of a simpler, transparent, tracked budget that allows PPS to redirect wasted funds back to classrooms and inform creative financing — micro-bonds, emergency loans, energy performance contracting, misappropriated taxes.
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Educators are underpaid and demonized for systemic failures they have little control over, and we wonder why they quit. Educators are easy targets and obvious scapegoats: maybe its time leadership take responsibility.
I will create the PPS resolve to cultivate a healthy, fruitful career environment that uplifts our educators and recognizes their invaluable contributions — a living wage initiative, a "Housing for Heroes" program, professional councils, an educator bill of rights.
Solutions
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“If you’re tired of establishment candidates endorsed by and defending the system and politicians who have failed us — if you want someone ready for a streetfight over change — I’m your brawler.”
Get Involved!
I don’t want your money…
I want your energy and passion.
about me
My core principles…
SOLIDARITY — I may not always agree with you, but we're in this together, like it or not.
HUMILITY — I’m a small part of the world; I try to act like it.
HONESTY — Science taught me to question everything and do it openly.
COMPASSION — No one can do everything alone; see and hear others in need.
What else?
INDEPENDENT — There’s no “D” or “R” party next to my name, and there never will be.
SELF-FUNDED — I don’t take donations or endorsements. You’re voting for me to rep you.
DUTY-FOCUSED — I have a job and career; it’s not politics. There’s work to do at PPS.
Why education?
I pursued academia as a career and spent years as an astrophysicist, where I published research and taught. In 2011, I made the brutal decision to leave my dream job because funding cuts were destroying the sciences. I love science, education, and learning and want to stand on guard against new threats.
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I’m 100% the product of public education.
K-12
Arcado and Camp Creek Elementary Schools
Parkview and South Forsyth High Schools
BSc Physics — Georgia Institute of Technology
MSc & PhD Astrophysics — Michigan State University
Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow — University of Waterloo
Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow — Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur
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My background is Data Science, AI, Optimization, Geospatial, and Product
I’ve done a little of everything:
Enormous public corporations — CVS Health and Salesforce
Large private companies — KPMG
Midsize private businesses — Pilot Company and 3B Scientific
Scrappy startups — Uber (I was there early days) and MapAnything (acquired by Salesforce)
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Instructed and assisted with undergrad and graduate physics and astronomy honors courses
Advised and mentored numerous PhD and MSc physics students
Annually served as supervisor for undergraduate research scholars/fellows
Local Organizing Committee for several large international academic conferences
Refereed for prestigious academic publications (ApJ, AJ, MNRAS, A&A)
Active member of the National Scientific Research Society (ΣΞ)
Active member of the National Physics Honor Society (ΣΠΣ)
Active member of the American Astronomical Society
Active member of the American Physical Society
NASA Center for Astronomy Education collaborator and mentor
Offered teaching positions at public (via Teach for America) and private secondary schools
A “Big” with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta
Hands On Science Partnership board member and industry representative
Hosting and running workshops for the National Science Teaching Association
American Astronomical Society Beyond Academe Task Force member
Springboard mentor for experienced professionals leaving their fields for a data science career
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My family & their well-being