Lawrence has always felt like home, and I knew it was a special community when I first moved here to attend the University of Kansas in 1981. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies and Geography (with an emphasis in Land Use Planning) I worked for a fast- growing nationwide environmental services firm based in Lawrence.

Since 1999 I have owned and managed an environmental and property assessment company, Guidewire Consulting. Our firm has been based in Lawrence since 2005, and we provide services nationwide.

I had the honor of previously serving for 8 years on the Lawrence City Commission from 2007 to 2015. During that time we accomplished many things as a city and a commission. When I left the City Commission in 2015, I believed our city had made an extensive amount of progress. Managing through financial crisis and difficult community decisions was not easy, but Lawrence was left in an enviable position of financial sustainability and potential growth. The current development and housing crisis in our community, along with the lack of a cohesive policy focused clearly on the unhoused and unsheltered citizens of Lawrence has inspired me to serve again. While our struggles are not unique, my passion and experience related to solving these issues in the past will bring the leadership and focus required to move forward.

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On a personal note, in 1991 my wife Lee Beth (a native Lawrencian) and I were married and I worked in several other cities before returning back to Lawrence in 1998. I’m extremely proud of our two daughters and their families, McKenzie and Drew Branstrom, and Kylie and Cole Dister, both having attended Lawrence Public Schools and participating in programs offered to youth in our community. Both also graduated from the University of Kansas. In December 2022, we welcomed our first granddaughter, Charlee Jane Branstrom into the world.

I encourage you to read more on my campaign website and to support our cause in any way possible through a donation of your time, money or experience. Please feel free to contact me direct with questions on my community position and stance on issues, or to discuss how you can best support. Thank you for your vote, believing in me, and trusting me to become your next City Commissioner.