Background

A West Coast native, I was born in Spokane, WA, but consider myself a Carolinian – my family soon moved to Raleigh where I grew up. I attended the University of North Carolina at Wilmington where I double-majored in Business and English Literature. The variety of the two degrees fed a natural intellectual curiosity, and I loved the exposure to such diverse ideas, experiences, and people. The informal and conversational style of literary discussions allowed me to creatively analyze characters, styles and motivations, while the structured analysis of business principles taught me the value of practical, real-world problem solving. While in school, I also enjoyed working for several small businesses in a variety of roles.

Career Path

After graduating from UNC Wilmington in 2008, I relocated to Chapel Hill, NC with my girlfriend (now wife) and accepted a position managing a popular local restaurant. While I held some other management positions in the past, this role allowed me to manage all elements of business operations, including a staff of approximately 30 employees.

After two years of restaurant management, I relocated to Washington, D.C. to pursue a marketing position with Country Casual, an outdoor furniture manufacturer and retailer. Joining this small team was a fantastic opportunity that allowed me to build out the digital marketing strategy for the company. Diving into the ecommerce industry gave me the opportunity to combine my passion for creative brainstorming with cutting-edge technology and marketing. In 2012, I accepted a position with the National Geographic Society as a marketing manager of the gift catalog and online store. In this role, I managed the day-to-day operations of the marketing department, while working closely with technology and creative teams. While I loved working with National Geographic and the ecommerce industry as a whole, I knew I wanted to strengthen my business fundamentals and leadership skills, and continue to grow personally and professionally. I ultimately returned home to North Carolina to attend UNC Kenan-Flagler because the school embodies the team-centric and leadership-driven values that I’ve strived to embody in my career thus far. After graduation, I hope to pursue a data-driven, strategic marketing leadership role that allows me to work on a variety of exciting and challenging projects.

Interests and Hobbies

I love spending time with my wife and our adopted animals, traveling, and hiking. I’m a music lover, outdoor enthusiast, and sci-fi junkie.