Hometown: Great Falls, Montana
Education History:
B.A., University of Montana (History)
M.A., University of Montana (History)
Courses Taught: History and Geography. In the past, I’ve also taught Political Science and Government
Areas of scholarship: I have written on aviation history and am working on a (hopefully) upcoming book, Roadside Aircraft of the West. I’ve also helped contribute to a few local publications, including Ken Robison’s Montana and the Cold War. My graduate thesis, “Eagle Against the Dragon: Air Combat Over North Vietnam, 1965-1973,” was published by the University of Montana. As part of my hobby of aviation photography, I do extensive research on individual aircraft at museums and at memorials and parks. In my spare time, for fun, I do a lot of creative writing and speculative fiction.
Campus and Community Involvement: I am very active in Great Falls’ gamer community; I’ve been a regular attendee at the Great Falls Gaming Rendezvous (GFGR) and Electric City Dice and Cosplay (ECDC) since their inception in 2012 and 2021, respectively. I also docent at the Malmstrom AFB Museum during special functions and maintain the Poletto Collection at the Great Falls International Airport–the largest airliner model collection in the world.
Advice for Students: This is your opportunity to shine and your opportunity for a better life: don’t waste it. Absorb the lessons of the past–not just so you don’t repeat the mistakes of the past, but also to remember what our ancestors have done to pave your way today. Keep moving forward
Favorite Things to Do in Great Falls: As mentioned above, I am a gamer–I love playing roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder and Vampire the Masquerade. I enjoy walking around our beautiful city and visiting the various museums here. Montana itself is such a great place to live, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else
Hobbies: Besides my gaming and writing, I also build models and watch anime. My biggest hobby is visiting aviation museums and finding old aircraft; I’ve visited nearly every aviation museum west of the Mississippi, and I plan my summer trips around seeing more
