In 1996 I graduated from Grand Valley State University, just outside Grand Rapids, Michigan. I received my B.A. in Film and Video Production, with minors in both Business and Russian Studies.

While at GVSU, I received an Honors Scholarship and the Gierst-Egler Music Scholarship.

I was very active in both the film and music departments at Grand Valley. As principle oboe, I performed with the Concert Band and Wind Ensemble and also played oboe and english horn in the orchestra. In the Marching Band and Pep Band I played alto saxophone.

My senior year I was awarded with the Outstanding Film and Video Student award from my department. I was also inducted into Dobro Slovo, the Slavic Studies Honor Society. Phi Kappa Phi, the national honor society, awarded me with a fellowship grant for graduate studies.

I also received the Michigan Association of Governing Boards Award. Each year only two students are chosen from each of Michigan’s thirteen public universities to receive this honor.

In January of 1997, I relocated to Los Angeles and began attending the graduate film school at the University of Southern California. While studying at USC, I focused my efforts on post-production, learning the ProTools and Avid systems. By spring of 2000, I earned my M.F.A. in in Cinema-Television Production.

I continue to seek to educate myself. The pursuit of knowledge is something I very much enjoy. I have earned my CrossFit and Olympic Lifting coaching certifications, as well as my NSCA-CSCS certification. I have attended seminars on many other coaching subjects as well, like running, gymnastics, etc.