Growing up in Denver, skiing and playing soccer, I truly thought I would become the next big name in the soccer world. That never ended up happening. But, my love for the beautiful game never went away. In fact, it taught me to love and be passionate about the other aspects of my life.

Growing up, my father and I would build all kinds of projects - Bird houses, club houses, marionettes, desks, staircases, and more. He taught me to think critically about how things work and why. While I sometimes appeared uninterested, I was always paying attention and listening. I never knew all those hours of power tool instructions and long-winded life lessons in the middle of hammering a nail would lead me to a love of creating.

My love for sneakers goes way back. As a kid playing soccer, I was jealous of my opponents with the newest cleats. As the youngest of three brothers, I wore zombified hand-me-downs until my toes poked through. I’m not complaining—I thought it made me a better player. But there was something about wearing the most advanced pair of cleats, just like the pros, that made me feel like I could out run and out shoot every other player. I loved learning about the materials, the build, the tech, the colorways—everything about the process and construction fascinated me.

I found the perfect fit in the I.D. program at MSU Denver which focused on the design process and understanding how complex objects come together and how to evolve design to embrace both functionality and beauty. I loved my time there and I am very excited to see where my career takes me.