Meet Nick

I am a lifelong Michigander living on Lansing’s Eastside. As the son of a separated autoworker and teacher, my family faced housing and food insecurity during the 2008 financial crisis. That experience led me to get involved in my community, volunteering and organizing campaigns to make government more responsive to working families. Organizing and working for change early in life inspired me to return to Michigan State University to study Public Policy so I could make a bigger difference.

Time and time again, I saw the political leaders I worked for leave people like me behind. That realization drove me to become the Executive Director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network (MCFN), a 28-year-old nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about the influence of money in politics. During my time at MCFN, I served as a watchdog over Michigan’s elected officials, testified before the Michigan Legislature in support of stronger ethics and transparency bills, and routinely collaborated with Michigan’s top journalists to help them craft stories about campaign finance. I worked diligently to shine a light on the corruption created by weak campaign finance laws and the lack of accountability among state elected officials in Lansing.

In the 2024 election, more dark money was spent in Michigan than ever before. Realizing the limits of my role as a watchdog for political corruption, I decided to step down from MCFN to run for Lansing City Council At-Large. I want to show that a new generation of leadership is coming—one that can win elections by putting people first, not by soliciting dark money or prioritizing party loyalty over the needs of residents. I believe Lansing is ready for leaders with unique backgrounds, vision, and experiences who will vote to uplift people and communities instead of corporations and special interests. I am determined to run an independent, community-driven campaign across the city, raising funds through individuals—not corporations—and avoiding politics as usual.

In my free time, you’ll usually find me looking up YouTube videos on house projects to improve my first home. I’m also passionate about music and have been playing guitar for over 18 years. Many people in the community know me through my work as a musician. I sing and play guitar in venues across the city, performing a wide range of music, including jazz, blues, funk, and rock. I also have a cat named Wes Montgomery and I have been with my loving partner for eight years.