How long have you lived in your home?
 
 We have been in our home for three years. We first tried to buy it in 2020 but missed our chance when it went under contract before we could make an offer. It came back on the market two years later and we jumped on it the second time around. The timing worked out as Lucy spotted the new listing just three days after Hugh was born.

Where are you originally from? Or are you Denver natives?
 
 I was born and raised in North Dakota and returned there for work before eventually making my way to Denver in my late twenties. Lucy was born in Belgium and spent her childhood across Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Britain before her family relocated to the greater Chicago area for high school, then to Highlands Ranch for her senior year. She became an American citizen in 2013. We met in Denver in 2012, spent time in San Francisco and New York City, and came back to Denver in 2020.

What colleges did you attend if any?
 
 I attended the University of Minnesota; Lucy the University of Colorado Boulder.

Lucy began her career in tech recruiting at Google in Boulder before moving to San Francisco to join the team at Meta. Her career pivoted toward startups in the tech and consumer goods spaces, which is what ultimately brought us to New York City in 2017. These days, she’s focused on the people side of things as an HR Business Partner at monday.com.

I spent seven years as a landman working across western North Dakota researching and clearing mineral title to support oil and gas development. As title work moved to digital platforms, I started my own LLC, and have been working remotely ever since.

Please tell us about your family.
 
 Our oldest son George is five and finishing up his pre-K year. He loves to draw, most days he keeps us busy with a project before school and another before bed. He's active in swimming, gymnastics, and tennis, and while he's our indoor kid at heart, he surprised us all by taking to the bunny hill this ski season.

Hugh is three and in his second year of the toddler program at preschool. He's obsessed with cars and trucks and celebrated his third birthday at Monster Jam. He's now following George's lead with his own before-bed art sessions, and lately he's been cruising around the neighborhood on his scooter and strider bike.
 

Lucy and I arrange a monthly dinner date and take an occasional yoga class together. Lucy is a regular at the nearby Pilates studio. I stick to the gym and occasional ski day. Over the last few years, I’ve participated in a number of virtual reality or mobile game development hackathons with my development partner.

Do you have a cause or charity/non-profit you care deeply about?
 
 On the global side, we support GiveWell, which directs donations toward maximum lifesaving impact per dollar. Their focus on preventable disease through mosquito nets, vaccinations, and vitamin supplementation feels especially urgent right now given the gap left by recent aid cuts.

Locally, we support Food Bank of the Rockies and Assistance League Denver. Assistance League is worth noting for neighbors looking for a good home for thrift donations. Goodwill is convenient, but if you're willing to save a large load and make the drive, Assistance League Denver is volunteer-run and donated goods and proceeds go straight back into the Denver community.

 Benzina on East Colfax is a regular stop for early dinner with the boys. They are kid friendly and have quality Italian options for adults. We’d remiss not to mention our neighbor Satchels, which is great for an easy date night or a drink with a friend.
 

Do you have a favorite vacation destination?
 After a comedy of travel errors on our last trip to Europe (including a train strike, COVID for the whole family and cancelled flights), we’ve decided on a “less is more” approach to travel. We really love Santa Barbara, which is a quick ~2 hour flight from Denver and has something for all of us.
 
 

Do you have anything interesting to share about the neighborhood?
 The kids love to ride around the neighborhood and make pit stops at the various fairy gardens tucked into yards. There is also an ongoing hunt for the painted rocks that circulate among the neighborhood hiding spots.
 
  

What are your favorite holiday traditions and/or what is your favorite holiday to celebrate?
 
 We add a bit of British flavor (or flavour) to our Christmas celebration. Everyone is paired off, and each person pulls on one end of a Christmas cracker, a paper-wrapped tube that pops open with a snap. Inside is a small prize and a paper crown. Whoever wins the pull gets the gift, but everyone wears a crown throughout the evening.

 

Please tell us about the Driving Park Historic District right here in the neighborhood and how you are involved.
 
 Laura Blodgett and I are excited to be the new Co-Presidents of the Driving Park Historic District Association. We owe a debt to our outgoing President Betsy Rubner and the board members who spent the last five years rebuilding the association. We're inheriting a well-organized, connected, and engaged group.

Going forward, we want to deepen that sense of community through more neighborhood get-togethers and by expanding interest groups beyond the book club. We're also exploring ways to keep neighbors informed about events, local news, and issues affecting the neighborhood. We’d like to see more involvement on the Driving Park Historic District Neighbors facebook group to keep each other updated with news, events, or issues. With rapid development in Cherry Creek and new stadium, staying engaged with the city on future traffic and development concerns is a priority.

 

 Currently you can join us in the warmer months for happy hour on Thursdays in the parkway on 4th and Gilpin, the occasional neighborhood happy hour at Novo Coffee, and the annual Fall Festival in October. Our annual meeting is in September, we hope to see you there! 

 

 I encourage everyone to visit drivingpark.org to explore current issues, upcoming events, and the rich history of our neighborhood.