I found my love for video games at the age of 4 in 1998. Throughout school, I was involved in a wide range of activities, including sports, theater, and choir. Growing up in West Virginia, I initially felt that becoming a game designer was out of the question for me. I doubted my abilities and  believed "I wasn't smart enough" for any kind of computer work.
I graduated from high school, barely, and decided to try out for American Idol. After making it through a few preliminary rounds, I was eventually dropped. Around the same time, I flunked out of college. In 2015, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as a Public Affairs Specialist, A.K.A. Combat Correspondent.
After training, My first duty station was in Tokyo, Japan, as a broadcaster for American Forces Network (a military TV station). From 2016 to 2018, I produced over 100 video, radio, and social media news reports across the Pacific Region, with opportunities to travel to places like Thailand, Korea, the Philippines, Australia, and India. During this time, I earned promotions from Private First Class to Sergeant. With the promotion came the responsibility of leading a team of more junior service members, and leadership quickly became one of my favorite responsibilities.
After three years at my previous duty station, I received orders to become the Marketing and Communications Director at the Marine Corps Recruiting Station Headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina. In this role, I was responsible for managing social media traffic across 26 different social media pages, posting, monitoring, and reporting on engagement. I also handled various forms of recruiting material, including T-shirts, billboards, and radio commercials. Additionally, I took charge of all marketing events and played a key role in lead generation efforts.
I was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 2022. Since then, I’ve held various odd jobs while completing my degree. Eventually, I started Potomac Shine LLC and have been working to establish a small business. This profession is where my passion lies, and I’m dedicated to making it my full-time focus.
During my active duty service, I enrolled in a game design associate's degree program in 2020. Two years later, I successfully earned my associate's degree in game design in March 2023. I earned a second associate's degree in game development during the winter of 2023, while waiting for the Interactive Technology program at Full Sail University to be fully implemented.
I then that Interactive Technology program a few month later. For a capstone project, students formed teams around a "Vision Holder" to collaborate and release a game project over the span of four months. My prototype project was selected, and I was honored to take on the role of Vision Holder, acting as the lead game designer, producer, Systems designer, and much more for my capstone project. In March 2025 I graduated as valedictorian with a Bachelor's of Computer Science concentration on Interactive Technology.
After my graduation, I participated in a few game jams. I've worked in Unreal Engine, Creation Engine, Unity, Game Maker, and Halo Infinite's forge mode to create various prototypes and build my skill set. 

In May 2025 I started at Full Sail once again going for a Masters Degree in Computer Science. As part of this program I'm undergoing an Internship at Mars Games. In early November, I was promoted to lead systems design intern. In this current role I mentor, task, and guide a team of 12 peers. 

Today, I live and work from my home in North Carolina. I'm joined by my wonderful wife Nataly and our 3 dogs.