I am a 24 year old theatrical lighting technician with a BFA in Lighting Design and Technology from Kent State University(2005). As a child I moved around the world living twice in Germany as well as different parts of the United States because my father was in the Military. When I was about 10 my family settled in northeastern Ohio and it has remained my home since. In high school, my world revolved around 2 things: music and computers. I played the trumpet from the time I was in fourth grade until my sophomore year of college. In that time I gave over 200 performances in my high school concert and marching bands, regional honors bands, Flasher Brass and the international award winning Warren Junior Military band. In this time I had the chance to play at events ranging from the National Cherry Festival to the NCAA Elite 8, from West Virginia to Kansas and pretty much every state in between. At the same time, I was also very interested in computers. I taught myself programming, web design, and computer repair. Despite my love for music, the pull of the world of computers lead me to major in computer science at Kent State University.

After having seen a production of Into The Woods at Youngstown State University during my senior year of high school, I became more interested in theatre and started attending shows at Kent. During this time I began to realize that though I loved working on computers (and still do), it was a hobby and not something that I would enjoy as a career. During one show (Dancing at Lughnasa to be exact) I started thinking about how interesting theatre sounded and I realized that with my personality, acting was out of the question and so I looked up at the grid and thought that lighting seemed fascinating. About a week later, despite the fact that I had no previous experience in theatre whatsoever, the paperwork was done and I was officialy a theatre major. By all logic, considering how impulsive the decision was, I should have failed miserably, but somehow I jumped on the wagon have not yet fallen off.

After graduating from Kent State University, I enjoyed a breif but satisfying stint at Vincent Lighting Systems as the Assistant Rental Shop Manager. Although I enjoyed my time at Vincent, other things were calling me. I was offered a job by Royal Caribbean International as a lighting designer and technician aboard the Empress of the Seas, which I accepted. I spent a year with Royal Caribbean, leaving the Empress to join the teams of the Splendour of the Seas and the Brilliance of the Seas. I have since left Royal Caribbean to resume my career in legitimate theatre.

Since starting my theatre career, I have been involved in over 30 productions at Kent State University, Porthouse Theatre, Carousel Dinner Theatre, Hathaway Brown Girls Academy, Jackson-Milton High School, and Field High School, Carousel Dinner Theatre, Cleveland Institute of Music, Playhouse Square, and the Pacific Conservatory for the Performaing Arts. My titles have included Followspot Operator, Light Board Operator, Electrician, 1st Electrician, Master Electrician, Assistant Master Electrician, Staff Master Electrician, Assistant Lighting Designer, and Lighting Designer. I have also been involved in over 500 performances aboard Royal Caribbean Ships.