Fighter. Public Servant. Veteran. Lawyer. Lifelong Michigander.

A smiling man in a black blazer and blue checkered shirt, sitting outdoors with American flags in the background.
A young male military officer in uniform standing in front of American and military flags.

Tom was born in Detroit, the son of an autoworker and a Presbyterian minister. From an early age, Tom’s family imbued him with values of hard work, accountability, and service to others. These values, together with his Christian faith, have always guided him.

A product of public schools and a strong, safe community, Tom has always seen the value of education and public safety and will advocate to ensure that every Michigander gets the same.

A family standing in front of an altar inside a church, with a man in a dark suit, a woman in a blue dress holding a newborn baby, and a backdrop with candles and a wooden cross.

Tom graduated high school in Oakland County, and attended Kalamazoo College where he studied economics and history before earning his law degree from the University of Michigan.

After law school, Tom worked for the state’s oldest law firm. There, Tom helped Michigan businesses obtain financing to build and grow. He also worked on pro-bono cases including helping refugees in immigrant detention.

A man in a purple and black graduation gown and cap standing outside near a tree, holding a diploma, a blue folder, and a rolled-up document, with a stone building and other graduates in the background.
Two military officers in uniform giving a high five during a formal ceremony with an American flag in the background.

In 2019, Tom followed a call to serve, accepting a commission in the Army as a judge advocate (Army lawyer). Swearing an oath to: “protect and defend the constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic,” was the proudest moment of Tom’s life up to that point. During six years in the Army, Tom served in South Korea, Kentucky, and Washington. In the Army, Tom advised military commanders on the rule of law, helped Soldiers with personal legal challenges, and served as a prosecutor. While deployed to Egypt in 2023 and 2024, Tom served on a force working to maintain peace between Egypt and Israel.

Even before his time in the military, Tom valued public service. But working alongside the brave Soldiers who volunteer to defend our way of life reinforced the need to ensure that veterans are taken care of.

A soldier in camouflage uniform, red helmet, and sunglasses standing in a desert landscape with mountains and military structures in the background.

In 2025, the Department of Defense made policy changes that kicked brave Soldiers out of the military based on their identity, regardless of medical waivers, deploying active-duty military members in American cities, and others. These changes were bad policy and contrary to Tom’s morals, values, and faith. So, Tom chose to resign his active-duty commission and return to Michigan to find new ways to give back to his community.

Now, following his active-duty service, Tom is a homeowner, along with his wife, Jinsun, in Sterling Heights.

Tom is running for State Representative to continue his lifelong commitment to public service in a new way and to ensure every Michigander has the same opportunities that he benefited from.

Learn more about Tom’s policy priorities.