Occupation: I’m the new executive director at NYA Sports & Fitness Center. I came from Family & Children’s Aid in Danbury. The executive director role here has some fundraising elements, program development, and the day-to-day operations to oversee.

Family: My wife, Robyn, is a psychiatric APRN, and works at Family & Children’s. We have two daughters. Zoe is 4½ years old, and Amelia is 19 months old.

Pets: We have a cat named Fenway, and a cat named Shea. I’m a Red Sox fan, and Robyn is a Mets fan. We also have a chocolate Lab, named Abby.

How long have you been in Newtown? I live in Bethel, and I’ve been with NYA since February of this year.

What do you like to do in your free time? We like to go on our boats. We have a sailboat and a motor boat that we keep in Westport. We did get a chance to go out on the boats a lot this summer. We’d find a place to anchor off Campo Point, and chase hermit crabs with the girls. With two young kids, recreation is pretty much built around what they want, so we keep them busy and active. Frozen has been a big part of our lives the past couple of years, lots of pretend and princess dress-up going on. I do play in men’s basketball league at NYA, and in Bethel.

Do you have a favorite sports team? I’m a big Red Sox Fan, but I’m borrowing the Mets this year…

Do you have a favorite travel destination? My favorite place I’ve ever been is New Orleans. It was the first vacation my wife and I went on; and after Hurricane Katrina, I went on two mission trips there. The history of New Orleans is so unique and beautiful. It really draws you in. It’s a true melting pot. With my wife’s affinity for the ocean, our trips usually involve the water somehow — with the exception of visiting my sister in Colorado.

What is the best thing about Newtown? The community itself. A big part of what I’ve done the past seven months is getting to know people from all walks of life. I’m working with all kinds of organizations. I’m working with The Avielle Foundation, and the Board of Education and Dr Erardi, who is great. It’s such a long list of people. Ben’s Lighthouse had an ice cream social up here on September 12, and it was an incredible thing to witness, empowering kids to be solutions. And being on September 12, a day that anyone who lived through 9/11 remembers, it was a day of unification. It’s a source of pride to be a part of so many organizations here.

What has been the greatest influence in your life? The credit goes to my parents, first, who put us in situations that inspired us. As a Scout, when I was about 11, though, we went to Gettysburg. It was amazing. What moved me was when we saw the spot where Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address. As a singular moment, that was one of the profound ones in my life. It really engaged me to study history more and then history studies opened my eyes to leaders throughout history. I majored in history in college.

Did you have a favorite toy, growing up? I think my favorite toy was trees! I loved being outside and climbing trees. Just being outside and moving and exploring and the fantasy play was great. My fondest memories are of being outdoors and active.

Do you have a guilty pleasure? Probably the Red Sox. I grew up in Mansfield, near UConn, where there are plenty of Sox fans. But when I came to WestConn, all my friends were Yankee fans. 2004 and 2013 suppressed that bitter, angst ridden Red Sox in me, though. Then you have a year like this. It’s feast or famine for a Red Sox fan.