The Early Years at The Lowdown Magazine
A Foundation in Independent Media
In the late 1990s, my journey began with a bold step into the world of independent media as the owner and designer of The Lowdown Magazine. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, this free music magazine focused on unsigned bands, capturing the raw and unfiltered voice of emerging talent. With a monthly circulation of 5,000 copies at its peak, I was responsible for design, printing, and managing a distribution network. This early, foundational experience leading a team in advertising sales, print design, and journalism laid the groundwork for my entrepreneurial spirit and honed my skills in many areas which would pay off later.
Hired at Cartoon Network
A Foray into Animation and Professional Design
My professional career path took off quickly when I joined Cartoon Network in 2005. In Atlanta, Georgia, I immersed myself in interaction design and user interface design for high-profile shows like "Star Wars: Clone Wars," "Adventure Time," and "Flapjack." My role involved redesigning Adultswim.com and Cartoonnetwork.com, focusing on the games sections that were critical in increasing session lengths. This experience was vital in shaping my approach to motion design and further developing my expertise in Adobe Creative Suite.
Revolutionizing Social Game Development at Zynga
FarmVille Becomes a Cultural Phenomenon
In April 2010, I transitioned to Zynga in San Francisco, where I played a pivotal role in redesigning the FarmVille store. My contributions led to over a billion dollars in marketplace sales. I also led the design for new social mechanics and features, including in-game crafting and a U.S. patented chat system. My work on FarmVille Express to translate web game mechanics to mobile was a significant achievement in my career, as we were one of the first apps authorized for sale on Apple Devices in the newly debuted App Store.
Managing Live Events with Beasts & Beats
Curating Art and Music In the Heart of San Francisco
In 2011, I embarked on an enriching chapter of my career with Beasts & Beats, a series of art and music events that I directed in the pulsating cultural landscape of San Francisco's Mission district. This endeavor was more than just organizing events; it was about creating a confluence of artistry and community. Curating over 100 artists and booking a diverse array of musicians and performers, I transformed each show into a thematic celebration, blending visual arts with music. These events, held at Public Works, drew thousands of attendees, demonstrating the vibrant connection between artistic expression and community engagement. This experience not only improved my event planning and talent booking skills but also increased my understanding of the impact of blending many different art forms within a single space to create magic.
Founding Design at Zeal Learning
Merging Design with Education Technology
At Zeal Learning from August 2013 to July 2015, as the Founding Designer, I spearheaded the design and branding across web, Android, and iOS platforms, focusing on creating a unified and engaging user experience for teachers, students, and parents. My role involved extensive user research, agile development, and close collaboration with an external design house to rapidly prototype and iterate our educational products. This approach ensured that our designs were not only innovative but also user-friendly and responsive to the needs of our diverse user base. My efforts at Zeal Learning were pivotal in making learning more interactive and enjoyable, significantly contributing to the advancement of educational technology.
Building Enterprise Solutions at Go2Group
Mastering Solutions Architecture and Systems Building
During my tenure at Go2Group from November 2015 to June 2017, as a Solutions Architect, I specialized in mastering Atlassian tools like JIRA, Confluence, BitBucket, and more, to build custom solutions that streamlined processes and increased productivity for large teams and organizations. My role involved advising enterprise companies on processes, documentation, and technical support, working with clients such as Anthem Health Insurance, Honda, Karma Automotive, LabCorp, Turnitin, and the U.S. Government Services Agency (GSA). My work focused on improving team collaboration and developing solutions that integrated seamlessly within existing enterprise structures. This period honed my skills in project coordination, solution architecture, and technology evangelism, playing a critical role in my journey as a technology and design expert.
Leading Design at IXL Learning
Pioneering Design Systems in Education Technology
At IXL Learning, from November 2017 to May 2022, I played a pivotal role as the Design Lead, where I was instrumental in building design libraries and systems for IXL and its acquired subsidiaries, including Rosetta Stone, Vocabulary.com, and Education.com. My efforts allowed a reduced team to tackle four times the usual workload, demonstrating my ability to create efficient and scalable design solutions. I was responsible for writing team-guiding documentation that defined IXL's design language, processes, and style, ensuring a consistent brand experience across various user interfaces. Managing and mentoring a team of designers, I focused on fostering skill development and creativity, keeping the team engaged and growing. This experience solidified my skills in design management, user experience, and wireframing, contributing significantly to my professional growth.
A Return to My Roots with Lambgoat
Steering a Renowned Music Brand into New Horizons
In my role as Chief Operating Officer at Lambgoat since July 2022, I have been at the helm of steering a well-established, 23-year-old brand in the music industry. My journey with Lambgoat has been marked by significant achievements, including writing and negotiating contracts to secure capital and acquiring the brand for 2.5 times its yearly net revenue. I have been instrumental in organizing and managing a team of 10, focusing on streamlining project management workflows and automating processes to enhance efficiency. Additionally, I have instituted dev-ops processes, including automatic deployment using GitHub for staging and production, leading to over 50 improvements and upgrades to the site in 2023 alone. My time at Lambgoat has been a testament to my skills honed over many years in contract negotiation, financial accounting, journalism, and entrepreneurship, driving the brand toward new heights in the evolving landscape of music and media.
The Current Project, Co-Founding LG Media, LLC
Growing a Network of Sites to Profitable Revenue
In April 2023, I embarked on my most ambitious venture yet – co-founding LG Media, LLC. With Lambgoat at the forefront, this music advertising network quickly scaled to 400k+ unique visitors and 6M+ ad views monthly. Recruiting sites such as No Echo, Ghost Cult Magazine, This Day In Metal, Metal Insider, and Nu Metal Agenda, this site has grown beyond Lambgoat into a pivotal group of media influencers inside the music scene. My role has involved everything from contract negotiation and advertising sales to DevOps and responsive web design. This project represents the culmination of my experiences, where I leverage my diverse skill set to create a unique and impactful presence in the digital media landscape.
Always Be Learning, Today and Tomorrow
A Continual Quest for Growth
I've always tried to learn something new every single day.
Looking back at my journey, from the foundational years at The Lowdown Magazine to the hard work building a network at LG Media, LLC, I see a trajectory marked by continuous learning, innovation, teambuilding, and a commitment to excellence. My career is all about embracing new challenges and the endless possibilities of design in shaping our world.
As I continue to evolve and grow, I remain dedicated to pushing the boundaries of design, technology, and media, always looking forward to the next chapter.
Is there a dream I can help you build?
Let's talk!