He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Washington in 2006. A specialist in the history of the American West, he is conducting research on the history of San Francisco, the life of César Chávez, and the history of the Kansas City barrio where his Mexican grandparents settled in the 1920s. His previous museum experience includes work at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming, and the Museum of Westward Expansion in St. Louis. Most recently, he curated an exhibition focusing on the history, built environment, and regional significance of downtown Wooster, Ohio.