Hometown: Swainsboro, GA
What's something on your bucket list?
If I ever have a year of my life to spare in conjunction with no other responsibilities, I would take the opportunity to train and compete in the Alaskan Iditarod. The event has multiple elements that make it unique: historical significance, a responsibility and connection to the dog team, a human physical/mental proponent, the challenge of extreme elements in austere terrain, and it covers a distance of approximately 1,000 miles over a two-week period. The teams train year-round and I feel that the challenge and connection would be a life-changing experience.
What's your favorite place you've traveled to and why?
Both my favorite and least favorite place that I have traveled was to Afghanistan. While the trip brought little in tourist satisfaction, I learned a lot about myself, had a wide range of experiences, and was grateful to have the opportunity to see how different the world was through the lens of other people. The experience gave me an appreciation of being an American and having the opportunities that I have.
Favorite family tradition:
My favorite family tradition is celebrating Greek Easter. I claim I have a genetic predisposition for Mediterranean cuisine and my mother is an excellent cook. It is also a time when family reunites and can reconnect over food.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
I don’t necessarily have a proudest accomplishment as I am generally proud of myself and my journey thus far. However, a few notable items would include: being married to an amazing woman, working in/with great organizations through the military, forming life-long friendships, and now being an MBA candidate at Georgia Tech.
My latest book recommendation:
There is a book titled “the Social Animal” which provides insights into certain sociological/psychological tendencies of people. It is absolutely enlightening, reads very smoothly, and I walked away so satisfied the first time I am reading it again. I truly think that humanity would progress momentously if everyone read it and applied relevant aspects to their life.
My life story in exactly one sentence:
I am experiencing and learning as much as I can on my journey
My favorite restaurant in Atlanta:
Atlanta has so much to offer in cuisine variety and I am exploring new and interesting restaurants constantly. Currently, I would say a favorite has been a southern-style restaurant named Roc South Cuisine & Cocktail as they are able to elevate southern food to a palate level not commonly found. It’s more impressive considering I grew up in the south having experienced a plethora of southern cuisine to compare it with.
