How would you describe your occupation? I am the founder of Affinity Esports. Esports is competitive, organized video games. To me, my profession is community development, individual and self-development and empowerment. It’s about using this thing so many other people love as a way to create safe spaces, and really put people in a place where they feel they are themselves. When people come here, they’re surrounded by those that support them and want to build them up, and unlock that potential to be who they’re meant to be and figure out how to more quickly get there. We really focus on how to be a viable business while giving back as much as we can.

Who is in your family? I have my wife Emily, and we are the parents of two wonderful daughters: Lily who is one, and Zoey who is three.

Do you have any pets? I’ve got two cats, Dopey and Dexter. They’re both north of ten, so they’re getting older.

How long have you lived in Newtown? I have lived in Newtown since May of ‘21. We moved from New York City, where we lived for about a decade. Affinity started shortly after moving. I was in FinTech for ten years and really reached a point where I was ready for a shift. I wanted to be in esports and very quickly decided I was going to start right here. The business was formed between September and November of ‘21 and we launched this location in April of ‘22.

What do you like to do in your free time? Spending time with my family is the top priority. I also play soccer. I run a small futsal group at Edmond Town Hall and we play every Sunday. And I game, I’m a gamer.

What’s your favorite game? I play Valorant and Counter-Strike.

What organizations are you a part of in town? We’ve built a connection with the gaming club at Newtown High, and we hope to partner with all the schools. We partner with Parks and Rec heavily. We have a partnership with REACH Western CT.

Who or what has been the greatest influence on your life? My parents have been unbelievably supportive from start to finish. My brother has been a very big mentor and supporter. My wife has been there to support me through everything, and my kids have taught me so much. The way I’ve been able to achieve the things I have has been the support of everyone around me. I’ve had unbelievable mentors, there are too many to even comment on. I’m extremely grateful for that.

If you could spend the day with one person, who would you choose? My wife and kids.

Who is your favorite musical artist? My genre of choice is hip-hop. Marshall Mathers, Mac Miller, Yelawolf, Tech N9ne, Kendrick Lamar.

What is the greatest piece of advice you’ve ever been given? My dad texted me while it was hectic. The text said, “Note to self: One thought, one task, one day at a time.” I needed a reminder, it was really helpful.

What’s something you can’t live without? Human connection. That’s really important to me.

What is your favorite travel destination? Southeast Asia. I love Vietnam and Thailand.

What is your proudest accomplishment? My kids.

What is the best part about Newtown? The community. Affinity Esports is entirely built on acceptance and the support that I received from the community. My family and I have had a wonderful experience. Obviously, Newtown is a great town for other reasons, but you can take everything else away and just have the community. That’s the central point for sure.