The former social worker, teacher, principal, and basketball coach received the 2010 Friend of Iowa Civil Rights Award for his work related to diversity and equality in education. He’s the author of the 2009 book The Principal’s Challenge: Learning From Gay and Lesbian Students (Information Age Publishing). His second book, The Principal’s Hot Seat: Observing Real-World Dilemmas (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers) features DVD footage of aspiring principals handling some of school leadership’s most difficult challenges and will be released in the fall of 2011.