Childhood
I grew up in Wisconsin and am the oldest child, with a younger sister Jillian who my parents adopted when she was an infant. Growing up, I felt honored to be her big brother and protector, however that did not stop me from wrapping her up like a burrito with her blanket or testing gravity and her ability to run down stairs to catch her falling dolls. I was born in Chicago, IL and only attended 1st grade in Illinois before moving to Delafield, WI, where my father’s job took us. My dad worked most of his first career for Hewlett Packard in a high-level manager and sales position, taking him all over the US, sometimes allowing for us to tag along for a family vacation! My mom took a position closer to home as the clerk for the Village of Nashotah, a position she still holds proudly today. Throughout high school, I enjoyed being on the downhill ski team, as well as trying other activities, such as track, cross country, and earth science club. I also attended youth group at our local church, through which I completed three mission trips around the US to serve impoverished areas, such as the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
College & Career
When I was young, I always wanted to be a airplane pilot. Very soon after starting my initial year at St. Cloud State University in MN, 9/11 occurred and altered my college path. Instead of majoring as a pilot, I choose Human Resources with a minor in Human Relations and multicultural understanding. Throughout college, I worked part-time as a direct care provider, caring for individuals in group homes that had mental and/or physical disabilities, which I enjoyed and found rewarding. It was one of those non-profit businesses in which I worked my way up from a part-time Human Resources personnel to the Director of Human Resources for the organization. While I valued working for an organization who served people in need, I did not enjoy the 9-5 office environment, and wanted to be able make a bigger difference with a more hands-on approach. I resigned and starting trying new business ventures I was passionate about, such as a re-used paper company. Then, in 2012, we moved to Wisconsin and I started a remodeling business with my father. We focus on making living spaces safer and more accommodating for older individuals and those with disabilities, so they can live independently in their homes. You can view Smart Accessible Living‘s website to learn more about what we do!
Personal Hobbies & More
In general, I enjoy moving around, doing something, preferably outdoors, including trying new activities and interests. In winter, I enjoy snow showing, cross country skiing, downhill skiing, and building tubing/sledding luges in our front yard for kids and kids at heart, including our adult neighbors! During warmer months, I really enjoy swimming, snorkeling, or anything dealing with playing in the water. I also enjoy walking/hiking, traveling, camping, foraging for mushrooms, nuts, berries, and other wild edibles, gardening, and woodworking projects in my small workshop. Some newer interests I am learning more about and partaking in are beekeeping, making homemade soap from our wood ash, harvesting clay to use in homemade pottery, and winter gardening in our greenhouse.
5 things on my Bucket List
- Own & operate an ultralight aircraft
- Learn how to kite surf
- Live on an off-grid property
- Ride a snowmobile
- Drive the Autobahn with a supercar
5 Random Facts
- I listen to NPR daily
- I brush my teeth in the shower
- My favorite color is blue
- I love potatoes
- I cannot hold a tune to save my life
What Rebecca says about Jason
The first things that drew me to Jason was his witty sense of humor and his endearing smile. I felt instantly comfortable with him, and I think many would agree that he has a way of making those around him feel at ease. Jason is very kind and thoughtful; he has a sense of purpose when he is doing service for or making things for others. He is hardworking and strives for excellence in everything he does. He might be considered a perfectionist, but I love that he doesn’t give up and is always looking for ways to improve things. I have a great admiration for his never ending curiosity. He will make a great Dad because he is so playful with children – he loves to get down on their level and isn’t afraid to get messy. He is also incredibly patient and genuinely enjoys teaching people new things.
Rebecca & Jason Adopt 