Getting Started
I was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota and began using computers when I was in Kindergarten. My enthusiasm for computers started when my grandfather purchased an Apple IIe for me, and when I got my next computer (a Mac II) I began using the computer as a design tool to create posters, fliers, and artwork. This creativity transitioned online in middle school when I purchased my first modem and started using BBS services, and eventually used some of the early versions of the web through CompuServe and Gopher. In 1997, at age 16, I designed my first website using Netscape Composer.
Early Career
After high school, I worked as a User Experience Design Intern for Techies.com. This gave me a lot of great experience learning from web professionals at a large start-up. My next job was designing websites for various departments within the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts. Working at the University was my first exposure to designing with web standards and helped me enhance my HTML and CSS skills.
In 2004 I formed TC Websites LLC, a design company focused on building websites for small businesses, with two partners from the University of Minnesota. At TC Websites I gained skill managing a business including meeting with clients and managing projects. In 2008, I took over my partners’ interest in TC Websites which I ran as a sole proprietorship and worked with various small businesses.
Current Career
Currently, I’m doing front-end development work as a consultant for Emergent Networks, a 2012 Fast 50 honoree by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal (50 fastest-growing private companies in the Twin Cities). I’ve worked on a variety of sites for their clients including a bank, a landscaper, a dance studio, and Emergent’s own website.
I am also working full-time as a Senior Web Designer for Milestone AV Technologies who manufactures television mounts, projector mounts, and rack systems. When I started at Milestone I took on a leadership role focusing on UX, visual design, and front-end development. Working for Milestone has given me many opportunities including designing a business-critical site with a large user base; working with the executive team to develop a public corporate site and intranet; and helping organize live testing sessions with our users.
Website Optimization for Retina Displays
In 2013 I had a book published called Website Optimization for Retina Displays. It explains the basics of creating web graphics that look great on high-density (Retina) screens such as the iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. I wrote an article on my blog about the topic that received a lot of traffic and was one of the first posts on the topic, which attracted the publishing company who reached out to me to write the book.