Brandon attended college at Stanford University. He studied political science and completed an honors thesis entitled, "Service-Learning: An Academic Methodology." He participated in Navy ROTC and attended naval science classes at the University of California, Berkeley. He also participated in Stanford-in-Government, working as an intern for Governor Roy Romer (Colorado) and the Commission on National and Community Service (Washington D.C.). Brandon graduated with honors in 1993.
Upon graduating, Brandon was commissioned onto active duty in the United States Navy. He spent his first year of service in San Diego attending various Navy training courses, but was eventually shipped out to the USS HEWITT (DD 966) stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. During his 3-year tenure aboard HEWITT, he served as Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer, Deck Division Officer, and Navigator. He made two deployments to the Persian Gulf and visited several countries including Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines, Australia, Thailand, Bahrain, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.
Shortly after reporting aboard HEWITT, Brandon was introduced to Jessicca Clark, a third grade teacher at the Department of Defense school in Yokosuka. They dated for about a year-and-a-half, then decided to tie the knot. They were married at the Yokosuka City Hall (Window #3) and haven’t looked back since.
Brandon resigned his active duty commission in 1997, but he and Jessicca stayed in Yokosuka for another year so Jessicca could finish her contract with DODs. During that year, he substituted in Jessicca’s elementary school and taught English to Japanese students at the local YMCA.
Late in 1997, Brandon learned that his brother had cancer, so he and Jessicca moved back to Colorado to be closer to Brandon’s family. He entered his first year of law school at the University of Colorado School of Law shortly after returning.
While attending law school, Brandon and Jessicca volunteered with the Boulder County Democratic Party. Jessicca served as the party’s Secretary from 1998-2000 and Brandon served as the Get Out The Vote (GOTV) Coordinator during the 2000 and 2002 general elections.
Brandon graduated from law school and passed the Colorado Bar Exam in 2001. In that same year, Brandon’s son, Dylan, was born.
July 6, 2004, The Shaffer family was graced with a daughter, Madison Leigh Shaffer. She is a happy, healthy baby.
Brandon, Jessicca, Dylan and Madison currently live in Longmont, Colorado. Brandon is a local attorney. Jessicca teaches 6th grade at an elementary school in Westminster. Dylan loves baseball and bowling. Madison is a beautiful baby girl. . . . And the Shaffers are happy!
