Background
I got into design when I was 12, not long after my parents brought home a Compaq Presario. I started out making Dragon Ball Z fan sites, which led me into fan art forums and graphic design communities. The work people were creating there completely pulled me in, so I downloaded a PaintShop Pro trial and started experimenting.
At first it was all drop shadows, feathered layers, and collecting fonts like trading cards. By high school, I was teaching myself Photoshop, Flash, and the basics of print production. I was also playing drums in a pop-punk band, which meant I naturally became the person designing our CD covers, show flyers, and anything else we needed to look halfway official.
My first real design opportunity came through a summer job at a local motorcycle accessories shop, where I created their logo, brand identity, and website. After graduation, I had trouble finding a design job without a degree, so I became a licensed insurance agent at a regional brokerage. Eventually, the CEO found out I could design and created a role for me. I spent the next four years handling their marketing, learning how design supports a business from the inside, and later picked up front-end development at The Iron Yard Academy in 2015.
Experience
For the past six years, I've been a government contractor leading UI/UX work for NOAA's Office for Coastal Management. My focus has been designing digital products that make coastal management, conservation, and geospatial data easier to understand and use. I redesigned the Digital Coast platform, which helped increase traffic by 31% and reduce bounce rate by 13% within six months. Today, more than a million people use it each year.
I also design and maintain tools like Data Access Viewer, helping scientists, planners, and coastal communities work with complex geospatial data in more accessible ways. Right now, I'm helping build a design system across NOAA applications and mentoring junior designers as they grow into the work.
Before NOAA, I had the chance to work with organizations including NASCAR, the University of Florida, Gaia Herbs, Xfinity Comcast, and BCBGMAXAZRIA.
Beyond Work
Outside of work, most of my time is with my family. My wife, Jocelyn, and I have a beautiful daughter, Amelia, who keeps us on our toes. Jocelyn runs her own esthetician business, and I help with the branding and web side of things, so design has a way of following me home too.
When we're not busy with all of that, weekends usually mean exploring trails in the Pisgah Mountains, cruising around Lake Murray, trying new restaurants, or looking for any excuse to taste our way through different foods and cultures. Once football season starts, you can also find us tailgating with friends and cheering on the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Let's Work Together
Got a project in mind? I'd like to hear about it. Reach out and let's talk.
Get in Touch