Rob has over two decades of professional experience in the criminal justice system and in academia as an educator and researcher. During their time in policing, Rob spent two years as a grant writer, and five years as a professional trainer and instructor. In addition to this experience, Rob has also been a small business owner. Professionally, Rob is enthusiastic about working with community-based organizations and seeks to utilize this previous experience to help organizations succeed.

Rob graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a BS in Police Administration and a minor in Political Science. They also completed an MS degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University and a PhD in Sociology with specializations in Criminology and Political Economy from the University of Tennessee. Rob’s academic research focused on political extremism, violence targeting minority groups, and narrative analysis. They are passionate about social justice issues and have been involved in volunteer work with the LGBTQ community. Rob is also an avid meteorite collector and hunter, and currently serves as Secretary of the Global Meteorite Association, of which they are a Founding Member.

In their private life, Rob stays busy with family, which includes two young boys and two dogs. They also enjoy watching baseball, spending time outdoors, and doing leather craft. Rob is especially passionate about music and is currently learning the guitar.