The Short or The Long of it.

I love design!
and I love designing. I love how design can help convey a common language between people, within and across demographics, communities, countries, continents, and cultures. I am also excited by how design can trigger our senses, memories, emotions and thoughts, and distinguish us from or connect us to each other and our ideas. I love ideas!

I love design as a tool for teaching, sharing, and helping each other to do better business and to create a better world. Design can visualize important issues in our lives and help create pathways to sales and solutions. Through design we can give each other us access to happiness.

Early Graphic Design and Architecture

My first (repeat) gig as a graphic designer was to design and hand make signage, using poster board, paint, glue and glitter, for my dance recitals each year from 7th to 12th grade. I also designed programs and advertisements for school concerts and plays, and for the youth symphony in which I played the French Horn. I learned about precision and attention to detail on daily printing deadlines, while working for the local newspaper doing paste-ups and mechanicals. I also helped design and paint a mural that still hangs in the lobby of my high school. Prior to that, at the tender age of 10, I started designing and fabricating cardboard models of homes that I saw in our neighborhood (complete with swing doors and removable floors and roofs) using clear tape and the backs of notepads I found around the house. I decorated them with clippings from magazines and books. I also built neighborhoods, and skyscrapers on the moon with my 1100 piece Lego set, which was my favorite toy ever.

Professional Experience

Design Design Design

In 1998, I began working professionally as a creative/art director and graphic designer. I have created designs for logos and stationary, brochures, architectural exhibits, interactive presentations and websites, and even a 210 page full color retrospective monogram for a prolific artist. I have worked for very large corporations, small companies and entrepreneurs in a wide variety of industries. I do needs assessment, strategy, content development and design for print and interactive media.

Doing & Being Humanitarian

Since 2002, alongside my design practice, I have been privileged to work with several humanitarian non-profit organizations including NextAid, CSAfrica, and Free the Slaves, for which I gave my design talents in exchange for invaluable experience to learn first hand about the crises of disease and poverty in the developing world, particularly in Africa. I learned how to engage and build a supportive community, raise awareness and generate action to make a difference by implementing sustainable (environmental, economic, and social) solutions for those in need. In late 2006, I traveled to South Africa to teach a computer skills workshop at NextAid's community center and children's residential village for AIDS orphans.

Integrating my Design and Humanitarian Work

In 2002, I produced an event for the grand opening of the new FK Anderson Company facility in downtown Los Angeles. FKA was one of my favorite graphic design clients and I inspired them to make the event a benefit for their next door neighbor Inner-City Arts (ICA). ICA is an amazing non-profit children's arts education school serving inner-city elementary school children who do not have arts as part of their public school programs. I am grateful for these experiences and will continue to integrate humanitarianism into my work and life.

Graphic Databases and Interior Design

In the '90s, I worked for worldclass architectural firms in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, including Gensler, Link Systems/CPG Architects, and Foresite Planning, to develop and design early models of computer aided facilities management systems and user interfaces (CAFM) for Fortune 100 and 500 companies including Sony, MTV Networks, Dreamworks, Bank of America, and the City of Los Angeles. And before that, I worked as an operations and project manager, interior designer and space planner in New York City including a Upper Eastside gut-renovation project for the Royal Thai Consulate and an interior architecture project for Rogers and Hammerstein.

Education

Much of my education comes from real world experience - on the job, on the road, in the kitchen, in meditation, and on the dance floor. I studied architecture and graphic design at Carnegie-Mellon University, advertising and communications at New York University, and commercial graphics at Parson's School of Design. I also traveled to Ashville, NC to learn how to build edible rooftop gardens for food and as insulation with Kleiwerks.

(some of) Me

I enjoy hiking, traveling, and being in conversation with people about what they do (their work and craft), about what inspires them, and their hopes and dreams. I am thankful for my mentors. I love my friends and family. I love to dance (like a bunny on The Playa). And I would LOVE to design for you!

I currently live in Los Angeles, California (Venice Beach). I recently moved to the Valley, and my heart longs for the beach.

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I love calling it a C.V. It sounds so classy!