About Me

Who I Am

From wrestling rings to NASA TV studios, my journey has been anything but conventional. As a former professional wrestler and pastor, I learned early on that life’s most meaningful connections happen when we step outside our comfort zones—sometimes quite literally.

My career path reads like a choose-your-own-adventure book: I’ve troubleshot technical issues for the US Air Force, served up seafood at Red Lobster, guided congregations at various churches, and now craft digital experiences as an assistant web developer. Along the way, I’ve honed my skills as a multimedia artist and video editor, telling stories through pixels and frames.

What ties this eclectic journey together? A relentless curiosity and a belief that creativity knows no bounds. I bring a unique perspective to every project, combining detailed research with the kind of problem-solving skills you can only develop after both body-slamming opponents and debugging code.

I believe in:

The power of authentic storytelling

Finding humor in unexpected places

Thinking so far outside the box that the box becomes irrelevant

Building solutions through Appreciative Inquiry

The transformative power of honest communication

My diverse background isn’t just a collection of experiences—it’s a toolkit that allows me to approach challenges from multiple angles. Whether I’m crafting content, solving technical puzzles, or building digital spaces, I bring the dedication of an athlete, the empathy of a pastor, and the precision of a NASA professional to everything I do.

Fair warning: My dry wit comes standard with all projects. No extra charge.

How I Got Here

I'M A BORN STORY-TELLER

From writing, editing, and producing my own kung fu movies in my teens with nothing but two VHS machines, to preaching in front of hundreds of people every Sunday (and only 5 of them fell asleep!), I’ve been finding ways to bring stories to life for widely varying audiences all my life. I’ve used words, paints, digital art, video, and even my own body, to pass on legends of people who overcome to those who need hope. I look forward to bringing that story-telling to your organization.

A Lifelong Interest in What Makes People Tick

In high school, I thought I’d end up studying Psychology, because I’m endlessly intrigued by how peoples’ minds work. Instead, I took a bit of a winding path, and wound up learning more about people by seeing the world. That broad experience gives me insight that others might not have.

21 YEARS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING AND PRESENTING VIA MULTIMEDIA

3 years of public theater, 5 years of preaching, 11 years of teaching martial arts, 2 years as an Air Force supervisor. I know how to get a message across clearly, under a time limit, in high pressure situations, and make sure it’s understood.

TRAINING THAT HELPS ME HEAR AND MAKE WHAT THE USER NEEDS

A degree in Multimedia Design means I know how to use the technology, and I know the history of what’s been done before. A degree in Pastoral Ministry gave me great experience as a counselor, making me a great listener, and interviewer. My military experience helps me be punctual, duty-oriented, and reliable. A background as a pro wrestler means I’m not afraid to try anything once.

What I Do

Creative Writing
Branding and Graphic Design
Web and App UX Design
Multimedia Studio Art
Video Production
Voice Acting
Public Speaking
Teaching

My Process for UX Design

Writing the User's Happy Ending

1. Interviews and Research (the_background) Information gathering is huge for me. I want to go into the process having a decent understanding of everything I can — potential end users, subject matter of the problem, side concerns… so that once I get into interviews and problem finding, I can understand what I’m being told..

2. Competitive Audit (the_context) I like operating under the concept of Appreciative Inquiry – learning to leverage strengths first, and working on weaknesses in the background when time opens up. But that means looking for service gaps in competing products, and finding a way we can develop something no one else has.

3. Personas and Problems (the_characters and plot) My research is no match for the experience of the end user. So the next step is to get personal testimony on the problem we’re trying to solve. With that information I develop some aggregate Personas, each representative of age groups, pain points, and accessibility issues I’m aiming to serve.

4. Idea Generation – How Might We? and Crazy 8s (the_narrative) This is where I shine – innovation on existing concepts. I’m an idea guy at heart. Using the viewpoints of my developed Personas, the Stakeholders, and my own outside-the-box thinking, I look for ways to leverage the strengths and weaknesses of existing products, and work to create opportunities for my client to shine where others haven’t even brought a flashlight. All the while, I keep thinking of that happy ending where the user gets everything they ever wanted, and some things they hadn’t thought of yet.

5. Information Hierarchy, Wireframes and Prototypes (the_structure) I prefer to do my “paper” wireframing using my digital tablet, either in Figma or Krita, depending on the needs of the project. Once I’ve found a layout that seems to work, I test with end users and iterate until everyone is comfortable with the outcome.

6. Design Research – Colors, Fonts, Logos (the_illustration) This is when I let myself start dreaming of how everything is going to look. Don’t get me wrong – little flashes of inspiration happen throughout the whole process, but I try to put them to the side and concentrate on the concept. Color psychology is considered, but is secondary to feel. I try to follow themes.

7. Hi-Res MockUps and Prototypes, and Iteration (the_binding) Going back and forth between end users, the client, and the drawing board, I continuously hone the product to be understandable, accessible, and powerful. I keep the story of the users in mind as I deliver what is hopefully not just a mobile app or website, but a journey that somehow soothes their suffering.