Meet The Heat

Coming from a small town I was raised playing kickball with the neighborhood kids, catching frogs in the storm sewer, and watching the freight train that zoomed past our house in frequent intervals throughout the day. There was a great deal of closeness and charm. There was solitude unlike anywhere else.

I remember walking home from kindergarten with my brother by my side and the crossing guard in the distance. I remember numerous nights of tossing the baseball around and shooting hoops on our tattered and home-made wooden backboard. I remember plunging into a sea of mud during my first experience riding a bike. I remember building a fort in the attic of our house and separating myself from the outside world. I remember riding my bike down to the ballfield to watch middle-aged men play a game that I dreamed of playing someday.

what does the future holdI remember the first time I took the bus to High School and being very afraid of the people that I would come in contact with. I remember burying myself in the books while still maintaining the art that was so important to me. I remember late night poker games in friends' basements with high school buddies. I remember sitting behind my high school crush in computer class with sweaty palms, waiting for the right opportunity to ask her out on a date. I remember getting teased for my short hair and commended by teachers for my academic performance. I remember graduation day, walking down the aisle with pomp and circumstance playing, thinking to myself, "What do I do now? What does the future hold?"

I remember entering college and realizing that the next four years would shape the rest of my life. I remember sitting in classrooms absorbing information and developing a keen eye for art and design. I remember numerous nights of hearing my roomate stumble into the upper bunk after a night of drunkedness. I remember meeting a wide variety of people in the basement of frat houses, drinking tap beverages, and not having a care in the world. I remember escaping the academics with late-night rollerblading competitions on campus. I remember sitting in the computer lab thinking to myself, "Do MACS crash this much in the real world?" I remember sitting in a humid auditorium on a steamy May day, listening to the Governor and Jim Lovell, of Apollo 13 fame, and realizing that the people that were sitting around me would go their separate ways and be lost upon exiting.

Now as I sit here in South Bend, IN and design web pages, brochures, logos, etc., I think back on all the experiences that I had as a kid and young adult. Sometimes I smile, sometimes I laugh, and sometimes I cry. I then realize the wonderful and amazing life that I have lived, and how much I wouldn't take it back for anything in the world. Then I think about my growing family, my developing artistic talent, and all the things that I have yet to experience, and think to myself, "Remember the past, live in the now, and most importantly, never forget how to smile."

Education

1995 - 1999 St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI B.A., Graphic Communications
Presidential Scholarship Recipient, 3-time Dean's List Honoree, Honorable Mention 1997 St. Norbert College Juried Student Art Show

1991 - 1995 Seymour High School, Seymour, WI
Graduated Top 10% of class, Member of National Honor Society

Career History

Web/Print Designer at University of Notre Dame
South Bend, IN August 2001 – Present

Act as Lead Web Designer for Office of Web Administration (8/2001 – 10/01/03) and AgencyND (10/01/03 – Present). Offer design expertise, creative direction, and project management assistance in University website makeover projects. Work with clients to collect digital assets, such as photography. Educate campus community on web design, information architecture, template usage, and best practices. Create departmental publications and identities. Manage team of student design interns.

Designer at 3W Design Group, Inc.
Sister Bay, WI September 1999 – August 2001

Led team of web designers. Conceptualized Internet designs. Constructed web sites. Created illustrations for web and print related materials. Shot photography for web related purposes. Recorded sound for web integration. Provided customer relations via telephone and meetings. Organized and managed web workflow through studio. Educated co-workers of techniques and methods. Updated existing client sites.

Intern Graphic Designer / Weekend Video Editor at WLUK FOX 11
Green Bay, WI September 1996 – December 1998

Assisted the art director in producing television graphics. Made signs for various places and functions. Produced the 1997 company Christmas cards. Offered artistic knowledge and advice. Edited video for weekend newscasts.

Portfolio

View samples of my work.

Awards and Accomplishments

International Academy of Visual Arts and the W3, Gold Award
ND.edu was selected as a winner by the W³ Awards which honors creative excellence on the web, and recognizes the creative and marketing professionals behind award winning sites, videos and marketing programs.

Webby Awards Official Honoree, ND.edu
ND.edu was selected as an “Official Honoree” for the School/University category in the 12th Annual Webby Awards, April 2008. The Official Honoree distinction is awarded to work that scores in the top 15% of all work entered into the Webby Awards.

Pride of CASE District V 2007 Gold Medal
CASE V recognizes best work in communications, alumni relations and development in the Pride of CASE V District Awards program. The University of Notre Dame was awarded a gold medal for “Best Website” for our work with the Office of Development.

Adobe Sites of the Day
October 2007: nd.edu, September 2005: al.nd.edu

Numerous mentions in online design galleries

Groups and Associations

AIGA member

Special Interests

Sculpture, photography, video production, bobblehead collection, Skittles consumption, cheesehead loyalty, and spending time with my family

View my complete LinkedIn Profile

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