I didn't set out to be anything in particular, only to live creatively and push the scope of my experiences. I made several role shifts along the creative path: visual artist and illustrator to graphic designer, UI designer, content strategist and writer, UX designer, creative producer/lead, product manager, and UX design educator.

My journey began with the freedom I discovered on a bicycle and the love of sketching and story concept-ing.  As a young explorer I'd often lose myself in the woods, and to amuse myself, family and friends, I'd gather ideas, write and illustrate imaginative stories and storyboards, as well as create pictures and visual narratives for the books I'd read.  Over the summers in high school and college, I interned as a signage designer and architectural rendering artist and picked up additional skills in illustrating proposed designs and buildings in their finished state. It was here that I discovered that visual storytelling and design practice are virtually synonymous. All design involves pursuing a series of connections towards a changeable outcome: vigilant research, activity and task flows, ideation, concept-ing, aesthetics, usability, human-centered design principals, and achieving measurable gains in product satisfaction, uniqueness and innovation.

My undergrad education includes a BA from the University of Maryland (UMB) in creative writing, three years of study in illustration and communication arts from the Cleveland and Maryland Institutes of Art.