Biography.
I was born in Trenton, Michigan on an abnormally scorching April afternoon in 1985. I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit, and attended a private elementary school. I studied at home for most of middle and high school; this proved fortuitous, as I completed my course work rather quickly and carved out plenty of time in my schedule for amateur Web design, part-time work at my local library, and voluminous reading.
I attended Cedarville University from 2003-2007; I majored in English and minored in creative writing and Honors. During my college years, I competed with our nationally-ranked Parliamentary debate team. I tutored at our writing center; I also wrote for and managed the school newspaper, Cedars, and worked part-time as a Web designer. I was a president of Tau Delta Kappa (our honors society) and an officer in our local chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honors society. Senior year, I maintained a 4.0 GPA while participating in a competitive PR/marketing internship at Barco Simulation, LLC. I graduated summa cum laude in May 2007.
Although my college years were obviously quite busy—I thrive on eustress and productivity—I found plenty of time for recreation. I met some great people at college, and I found my soulmate: my wife, Heidi. We married in Waterford, Michigan in May 2007, shortly after graduating. Within six weeks, we were off on our first big adventure together; we moved to Seoul, where we served as English teachers for two years.
My experience in Korea was richly rewarding. I grew professionally, practicing my skills in communication and writing / editing while learning more about contemporary education. As a supervisor (I was promoted in March '08), I learned to effectively manage a diverse staff; as a dedicated student of the English language, I developed extensive curricular resources for the school, including an incremental presentation and debate program for grades 3-6.
Of course, my work experience is only one side of me. I have a variety of hobbies and interests. I enjoy gourmet cooking, wine tasting, and modern art. I like picking blueberries on a sunny July afternoon, swinging a racquet or running a few laps at a local park, and catching a late film with my wife. I'm always eager to travel—whether to a local festival or a foreign country. And I'm equally enthusiastic about meeting new people; I'm an extrovert with a passion for human narrative.
As of summer / fall 2009, I'm actively searching for the "next big thing" in my life. I'm eager to bring my proven skills in communication and administration to a progressive, forward-thinking company, and I'm ready to re-discover my roots in America.
