I’m the husband of one, and the father of two: a first grader at MacArthur elementary and an eighth grader at George Washington middle school. I’m originally from New Orleans and did the second half of my growing up in New Jersey. I then lived in Ithaca, NY; Long Beach, CA; and most recently Boston, MA. We moved to Alexandria so my wife (a climate scientist) could take her dream job at NASA HQ.
The most striking thing to me about Alexandria is it’s diversity. Diversity of people–rich history mixed with fresh new faces from all over the world. Diversity of neighborhoods–from the west end to Old Town, from central Alexandria to Potomac Yards. Whether you’re looking for history, for an urban vibe, a town house or a single family home, we’ve got it. Whatever stage of life you’re at, Alexandria has something beautiful to offer.
Professionally, I’ve been in science and technology my entire life. Starting with a degree in Math from Cornell University, I went on to earn degrees in Computer Science and Computational Neuroscience. I taught Computer Science for a while before moving on to industry where I’ve worked in defense, finance, startups, online retail, and online advertising. Throughout, I’ve built strong teams and solved hard, challenging problems. It’s what I love to do and why I’ve decided to run for city council.
If you’re interested in my experience: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mshiffer/