Years ago, the free market balanced our individual and organizational pursuits of self interest.  In today's global economy the rules have changed, and the pursuit of self-interest alone contributes to:

• an unsustainable depletion of our world's resources,
• global warming,
• off-shoring millions of jobs to countries that pay lower wages,
• and consumers that focus on price and quality alone, with little regard for the social responsibility of the firms they buy from.

Like a family, we are all in this dysfunctional dance together and pointing fingers at each other will only entrench our current behaviors.  The "Hatfield and McCoy" politics and platforms of the past must give way to a new reality:  Our world is changing at a blistering pace where old policies and behaviors no longer work.  Government, education and business must collaborate to advance their mutual interests. 

We need to ask the right questions to select the right leaders, leaders who can passionately ignite our sense of interconnectedness and united purpose.  For only then will we develop the trust-based systems essential to lead in this accelerating world.   . 

We need visionary leadership that knows the global landscape and takes bold action. Our students face incredible competition from overseas youth whose governments place education as their #1 priority and where wages are $2 a day. Our schools face economic shortfalls that will surely increase.  Planning for tight budgets and ensuring future excellence is critical. Given the state of our economy and projected budget deficits, it cannot be “business as usual”. We must become an innovator in education, insuring all MCPS graduates are college or career-ready.

While building this long-term vision, I will aggressively address our immediate issues.  I will apply my 26 years of high-tech business, non-profit management and leadership skills - making tough decisions and taking bold action.  This includes working honestly, openly, constructively and collaboratively.  

I will usher in a new era of innovation in public education.

A Bit about My Background

For the last 26 years I served as a high tech business owner with locations in three states, president of a non-profit organization and now the Director of Technology Partnerships at Save the Children, a large international non-profit organization in Washington DC.   I regularly bring very diverse - even contradictory - groups together to achieve significant outcomes. I earned a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from the University of MIchigan and an MBA from Loyola University.  I know I have the skills, experience and vision to address our problems and to take bold action. 

About My Family

 I am married to Monique, my wife of 18 years. We have four children, all in Montgomery County Public Schools. My wife is from Spain and three of our children were enrolled in Spanish immersion programs and are bi-lingual. One of my children was adopted from Novokuznetsk, Siberia and is in special education. We have lived in the Colesville area of District 4 for over 7 years, where I have volunteered at Brookside Gardens, run regularly along the Northwest Branch trail and am very active in my church.

Let’s Get Going! 

I have worked in every corner of our great country, and now work globally. That gives me a unique and much needed perspective of how to address our challenges.   We simply cannot use 20th century solutions to tackle 21st century problems–and I have a vision to forge a new path! But first we need to address some immediate issues (click here)

Presented by Citizens for Lou August