Al grew up in Colorado. He received a BS in Biology from Hastings College in 1973.  He worked for the Bureau of Land Management in western Colorado and the EPA in Oregon and Montana before accepting a position as a range conservation for the US Forest Service in Pendleton, Oregon. Between 1976 and 1992 he worked on the Umatilla and Deschutes National Forests in range, wildlife and recreation management. In 1992 he transferred to the George Washington National Forest as program manager for wilderness, trails and dispersed recreation. He retired from the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in that position 2008 and did some consulting work for the Forest Service until 2015.
Al enjoys swimming and golf and volunteers at the Roanoke Rescue Mission food pantry. He and his wife, Deb, also enjoy birding and hiking. They are certified Virginia Master Naturalists and members of the Roanoke Valley Bird Club.  They have two children and five grandchildren all living in the Roanoke area.