He received his PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University. His prior graduate studies include master's degrees in Development Studies from the Bandung Institute of Technology in 1997 and in Planning and Development Studies from the University of Southern California in 2001. Prior to joining the Savannah State University, he worked as a planning analyst with the Division of Community Planning of the Florida Department of Community Affairs in Tallahassee, Florida. He had been involved in several research-funded projects such as Community Outreach Partnership Program; Development of Outcome Measurement Systems for Florida's Homeless Program; and Health, Infrastructure and Physical Activity. His primary research interests include homelessness and poverty, Geographic Information Systems, spatial analysis, housing and community development, and international planning.