When I graduated from BASIS Ahwatukee in 2017 with High Honors, I was part of something unique. As a member of the first class to attend BASIS Ahwatukee as an incoming freshman, I had the opportunity to grow alongside a school that challenged students to think critically, embrace challenges, and pursue excellence.
What many of my classmates may not have known is that the dream that would ultimately shape my future began years earlier, in 2009.
At just 10 years old, my family relocated to Dalian, China for my father’s work with Intel Corporation. Standing in San Francisco International Airport, I remember gazing out at a Boeing 747 and feeling a mixture of emotions. I was nervous about leaving home and moving to a country halfway around the world, but I was equally fascinated by the incredible machine that would carry us there.
As I watched the aircraft prepare for departure, I found myself wondering how something so massive could leave the ground and travel across the Pacific Ocean. That moment sparked a curiosity that never left me.
Unlike many kids my age, I wasn’t particularly interested in video games. Instead, I filled every computer, tablet, and device I owned with flight simulators. While others spent their free time gaming, I spent mine learning about airports, procedures, aircraft systems, and imagining myself in the cockpit of an airliner. Even then, aviation wasn’t simply an interest—it was a dream.
After returning to Arizona and graduating from BASIS Ahwatukee, I attended Arizona State University, where I earned a degree in Social Work. During my time at ASU, I began working for Building Dreams LLC, one of Arizona’s largest congregate care providers serving vulnerable youth involved in the child welfare system.
I started as a Direct Care Professional, working directly with youth who had experienced significant trauma and adversity. Through dedication, mentorship, and a commitment to learning, I progressed into leadership positions, serving as a House Manager before ultimately becoming the agency’s IT Process & Data Infrastructure Manager.
Today, I help oversee organizational systems, quality improvement initiatives, data infrastructure, accreditation efforts, and operational processes that support youth across Arizona. I also assist in securing multi-million-dollar contracts with the Arizona Department of Child Safety, helping ensure that vulnerable youth have access to safe homes, supportive services, and opportunities to thrive.
Although I was building a meaningful career in social work and nonprofit leadership, the dream that began in an airport terminal in 2009 never disappeared.
In 2024, I finally took the leap and began professional flight training at AeroGuard Flight Training Center. Since then, I have earned my Private Pilot Certificate, Instrument Rating, and Commercial Pilot Certificate, and I am currently completing my Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) training. Every certificate has brought me one step closer to the dream that first took flight more than fifteen years ago while watching a Boeing 747 prepare to cross the Pacific Ocean.
Soon, I will begin teaching the next generation of pilots as a flight instructor while building the flight hours necessary to continue my journey toward commercial airlines. My ultimate goal is to one day sit in the captain’s seat of a major airline carrier.
While social work and aviation may appear to be vastly different fields, I have discovered that both demand many of the same qualities: leadership, discipline, accountability, communication, and a commitment to serving others. Whether helping vulnerable youth navigate life’s challenges, leading organizational initiatives, or helping a student pilot master a difficult maneuver, success depends on patience, preparation, and a willingness to continuously learn.
One of the most valuable lessons BASIS taught me was that success is rarely achieved overnight. It is built through consistency, resilience, and a willingness to keep moving forward even when the path becomes difficult.
For current BASIS students and fellow alumni, my advice is simple: don’t be afraid to pursue your dreams. The career you build and the dreams you chase do not have to compete with one another. Some of the most meaningful journeys come from finding ways to honor both.
Today, I have the privilege of serving Arizona’s most vulnerable youth through Building Dreams LLC while simultaneously pursuing a lifelong passion for aviation. One path allows me to help young people discover what is possible in their lives; the other reminds me daily of what is possible in my own.
From a 10-year-old boy gazing out at a Boeing 747 in San Francisco International Airport, to a BASIS graduate, Social Worker, organizational leader, and aspiring airline pilot, my journey has been shaped by curiosity, perseverance, and the belief that growth happens when we embrace challenges.
BASIS taught me to think beyond limits. Everything that followed is an extension of that lesson. Trust the process. The destination will come. And for someone whose professional title includes “Process Manager,” trusting the process has become more than a philosophy—it’s become a way of life.
Thank you to my BASIS family for allowing me this opportunity to share my story.
