Design educator and practicing art director with an MFA in Graphic Design and a professional foundation in branding, publishing, interface design, animation, and traditional media. Develops original curricula grounded in professional practice, with student outcomes spanning design awards, Adobe certifications, and entry into creative careers.
Education
Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design
Vermont College of Fine Arts | 2018
Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design
The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale | 2016
Best Digital Portfolio winner; Best Print Portfolio nominee
Associate of Science in Advertising Design
The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale | 1991
Teaching Experience
Graphic Design Department Head / Instructor
South Tech Academy | 2009–2014
- Led the program as its sole instructor, developing original curricula, lessons, and projects in design concepts, layout, digital production, and portfolio development. Curriculum continued in use by subsequent instructors.
- Prepared students for Adobe ACE and ACA exams, leading the district in both certifications earned and pass rates.
- Delivered multiple district-level professional development sessions over one to two years, sharing certification preparation methods with fellow design teachers.
- Mentored at-risk students whose work earned competition awards and who entered design careers; some graduates reported starting salaries of $40,000–$60,000.
Computer Design Instructor
Brick Computer Science Institute | 1998–1999
- Developed and taught original lessons and projects in Adobe applications, 3D Studio, animation, design concepts, and production.
Computer Animation Instructor
Fort Lauderdale College | Contract appointment within 1994–1998
- Developed and delivered a semester of computer animation instruction using Mac and PC platforms.
Assistant Instructor • Photoshop
The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale | During associate degree studies, completed 1991
- Recruited while a student to teach Photoshop under the lead instructor after demonstrating exceptional proficiency; continued teaching throughout enrollment.
Selected Student Achievements
Student work created under my instruction and mentorship.
- Keiser University Art Show: first, second, and third place.
- Kravis Center Reach for the Stars: first and third place, with 11 finalists.
- Florida KidCare competition: first place and Regional Judges’ Choice.
- 3,2,1 Blastoff IT Conference cover design competition: first place.
Professional Practice
Art Director
School District of Palm Beach County | 2014–present
- Created and refreshed identities for approximately 60 schools; designed more than 100 portal tiles and hundreds of departmental, event, and internal communication projects.
- Created TIME’s name and visual identity and led its design and digital publication from the inaugural issue, including covers, layouts, illustration, and occasional photography.
- Authored district branding guidelines and translated department concepts into polished, production-ready artwork.
Owner / Art Director
5webdesign | 2001–c. 2009
- Built a boutique to approximately $500,000 in annual sales, managed two illustrators, and developed repeat client relationships across branding, web, packaging, and print.
Creative and art direction
Immersant / Bowne • ToysRUs.com • IBM | Selected earlier roles
- Led four designers at Bowne on web and branding projects; directed a five-person ToysRUs.com team on branded storefronts and contributed to its brand book.
- At IBM, designed OS/2 interface assets and packaging within the ergonomics and usability group.
Founder / Owner / Art Director
Enternet Entertainment Group | 1992–1997
- Managed approximately 20 people and centralized design and printing for a network of 15 regional editions. Published Pulp and conducted a published interview with Hunter S. Thompson.
Teaching Areas And Creative Practice
Brand identity • Typography and layout • Editorial and publication design • Photoshop and Illustrator • Digital imaging • Interface design • Animation and 3D foundations • Portfolio development • Production workflows • Design critique
Additional practice: freelance photo illustration for Weekly World News; photo studio management at AIFL; motion graphics at Video Quik Labs and a Metro Dade TV internship.