In spring 2021, a sudden health crisis from the Covid vaccine forced me to confront my own mortality. My wife, Roxanne, and I hit the road in an RV to “live like I was dying.” Back then, I was tied to the corporate grind in Washington, D.C., expecting to ride off into retirement. Today, my life in Truckee couldn’t be more different.
Returning to familiar ground
This wasn’t my first Tahoe chapter. After a winter here in 2001/02, I never thought I’d return. Two decades later, post-crisis and road-weary, Tahoe pulled me back. Our first stop was South Lake Tahoe, where I joined a Keep Tahoe Blue cleanup on Labor Day weekend. I thought I was just helping the lake, I didn’t realize that simple act of service would shape my future here.
From RV life to planting roots
When we rolled into Truckee, we parked our RV at Coachland just in time for the historic winter of 2022/23. Digging out after storms, sharing shovels, and laughing with neighbors created an instant sense of community. By spring, we knew we wanted to stay. We sold our Maryland home, bought a place in Coachland, and began putting down roots.
Finding my calling
The transition wasn’t smooth. I was let go from a corporate job for the first time in my career and, with another company, my commissions were suddenly cut in half. Those setbacks, combined with my health crisis, pushed me to ask what I really wanted. Around that time, I discovered Bob Proctor’s book Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life and his Thinking Into Results program. The clarity I gained led me to launch Infinite Potential Advisors, a coaching practice dedicated to helping people find focus, courage, and confidence.
Building leadership and service
My first step into this new life was joining the Truckee Chamber of Commerce. At mixers and Good Morning Truckee, I met people who genuinely wanted to help each other succeed. Becoming a chamber ambassador gave me the chance to welcome others the way Truckee welcomed me.
This year, I joined the 2025 Chamber/TTCF/NTCA Leadership Class, which deepened my understanding of our community’s nonprofits, civic leaders, and history. That experience also inspired me and some classmates to launch the Tahoe Truckee Trash Alliance (TTTA), born from a simple phrase my wife joked about at a cleanup: “Don’t Be a Trashole.” This summer, we participated in weekly cleanups at Kings Beach and joined efforts with groups like Keep Tahoe Blue and the Truckee Litter Corps.
I also volunteer with the Truckee River Watershed Council, Sugar Pine Foundation, Friends of the Truckee Library, and serve on the board of My Hometown Heroes, supporting young cancer survivors through scholarships and mentorship. Being of service has become the cornerstone of the life I want to create. Whether organizing fire safety workshops for neighbors at Coachland or joining local nonprofits, I’ve learned that small actions strengthen our community.
Lessons in transition
Joining a small-town community took effort. In bigger cities, anonymity is easy. Here, people notice if you show up.
The lesson I’ve learned is that belonging isn’t about how long you’ve lived somewhere, but how you contribute. It can be energy, time, or resources. At a Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation board governance series this summer, Truckee’s first mayor, Kathleen Eagan, reminded us: when it comes to community, it is so important to take action. Her words echo what I’ve been living. Whether you’ve been here three weeks or three generations, showing up is what transforms a community.
Why Thinking Local matters
My journey back to Tahoe has been a second chance at life and belonging. Think Local isn’t just a slogan — it’s a way of living. It’s how we honor the people who make this community thrive and safeguard the environment, businesses, and nonprofits.
Coming from a big city, I now understand that what makes Truckee special isn’t just the scenery — it’s the spirit of connection, of people who give before they get, and of neighbors who look out for one another.
For me, returning here after 20 years, surviving a health crisis, and rebuilding my life in this small town has been nothing short of transformative.
Thinking local is more than a practice — it’s a lifeline, and I’m grateful every day that I get to be part of it.
