A man outdoors in a wooded area, wearing a wide-brim hat, long-sleeved shirt, khaki pants, and camouflage rain boots, crouching slightly and smiling at the camera.

It all begins with an idea.

As an Emergency Manager for Charleston County, South Carolina, I’ve spent my career designing and facilitating exercises under FEMA’s Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP). My work focuses on preparing communities to respond effectively when disaster strikes — training leaders, testing plans, and building resilience across organizations.

But my heart has always remained with the camp community. I know firsthand that camps are sacred spaces — where kids grow in confidence, faith, and belonging. That’s why I founded basecamp: to help camps build a culture of preparedness that protects those moments of growth and joy.

My motivation runs deeper than just professional expertise. I see my work as an act of stewardship — a calling to use my God-given talents to safeguard His children. Guided by faith, I believe preparedness is more than a checklist; it’s an expression of care and responsibility. My mission is to equip camps to be resilient not only in the face of disaster, but also in their leadership, their culture, and their purpose.

From the time I was a kid, camp was my favorite place in the world — a place where I learned courage, friendship, and faith. Those experiences shaped me more than I ever realized at the time. Years later, when I found my calling in emergency management, I began to see how the two worlds — preparedness and camp — were meant to come together.

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