Andrew is a nomad with strong opinions about coffee. Andrew’s life journey has taken him all over the United States for educational and career opportunities. Thriving off rich and meaningful relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, he really enjoys spending time in conversation with and in service to others. There is exactly one brand and blend of coffee Andrew will drink; all else is drivel.

Born and raised in Iowa, Andrew is the son of a Lutheran pastor and blue-collar worker, both of whom instilled in him early on a sense of social and civic responsibility. Often, the dinner table was ripe with conversation about the issues of the day.

After graduating from high school, Andrew struggled with having the confidence that he would succeed in college and beyond. His instructors at Western Iowa Tech Community College helped him gain a sense of confidence that he is college material. And taking a risk, he transferred to the University of Northern Iowa to pursue a bachelor’s degree. It wasn’t until a resident assistant (thank you always, Michael Gleason!) took him under his wing that Andrew really fell in love with learning and built confidence that he could be successful in college.

Andrew graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a passion to empower others to lean into their potential for postsecondary success and, in turn, be changemakers in their homes, workplaces, and communities. That passion translated into the pursuit of master’s and doctoral studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he co-founded the institution’s PRIDE Center and helped lay the foundation for what is now the Office of Community Engagement and Outreach. Practicing at the nexus of innovation, social action, and educational opportunity is where Andrew continues to spend his time.

Andrew loves to spend time thinking, serving, and writing in what Parker Palmer describes as “the tragic gap” – that is, the space between the world as it is and what it should be. He also loves reading thought pieces on leadership; his favorite at the moment is Margaret Wheatley’s “From Hero to Host: Leadership in the Age of Complexity.” Andrew is a very active Rotarian, serving as vice president of his club in Ellensburg, WA, where he recently secured a grant to create a playground for children with disabilities. And finally – Andrew is a complete goofball. His team at Central described him as “a personality hire” for bringing levity and laughter to the office, as they also got things done for the people, industries, and communities they serve.