• Grew up in Ionia, Mich.
• Attended Michigan State University, worked in the MSU Athletic Department
• Moved to Fenton, Mich. in 2000
• I met my wife in London, UK in 2002 and we got married in Portland, Oregon in 2005
• We have two children; ages 9 and 5
• We love to travel and have logged more than 80,000 miles of travel together

Above Left: Professor McWhirter put me in position to meet Beata in London back in 2002 so we made sure we got a picture with him at our wedding. Middle: My family back in 1977. I am on my mom's lap all the way to the right. My grandpa in the top right corner is my hero. Right: My wife Beata planned a Disney Adventure for our children and we had a blast!

Above Left: While in Pamplona Spain on our one year anniversary, I ran with the bulls and enjoyed the festivities of San Fermin. This group of men serenaded us after we joined them for midday snacks. Right: My brother Ryan and my mom with me before my cousins wedding in California.

Above Left: I was lucky enough to serve as an assistant coach for my son's baseball team. We enjoyed a great season. Middle: My family in 2016. Right: My best friend dating back to childhood and my brother enjoying some Spartan football with me in 2017. Spartan Football Saturdays and MSU Hockey games were the highlights of my youth and now I enjoy games with my family.

Above Left: Our Ionia High School basketball team made it all the way to the MHSAA State Quarterfinals, upsetting some pretty good teams along the way. I am the first player on the left in the front row. I also played varsity baseball and football in high school. Right: My kids starting the school year with my son leading my kindergarten daughter through the halls of her new school.

Above Left: My mom and son at a Tiger game. My mom was always involved in our sports as children and there were so many times we played catch, shot hoops and watched games together. My mom never missed our games and she has always enjoyed sports. She is still an avid golfer and she used to bowl, play softball and tennis. She is the best athlete in the family. Middle: Beata pulled off the greatest of all surprises for my 40th birthday. My entire family and closest friends surprised me in Chicago. This will always be one of the best nights of my life. I was completely caught off-guard! Right: Each summer, Kavaun and I go on a baseball stadium tour. We have been to eight or nine ball parks so far. This picture is from Pittsburgh, one of my favorites.

Above Left: Every other year, my MSU friends and all of our families go the beach for a week. We rent a 10-bedroom house on the ocean and spend the entire week hanging out together. This is one of my all-time favorite traditions for our family. Right: My children after decorating the Christmas tree. We have a tradition of cutting down our tree on Thanksgiving weekend, drinking hot chocolate, eating treats and acting silly together while we decorate and listen to Holiday music.

Above Left: Our wedding was a unique blend of Persian and American traditions. In this photo, we are under a shawl seated near the solfreh aghd, a spread with a collection of symbolic items including flowers, mirrors, silk linens, apples and pomegranates for a happy future, hazelnuts, eggs, walnuts, the Quran, flowers and a cup of rosewater extracted from Persian roses. Right: Richard Mraz, my friend and mentor. The best teacher in my life. He passed away early in my teaching career and I miss him dearly. On my best days and my most challenging days in my profession, he is often the first person who comes to mind as I sort it out.

Above Left: My nephews with my son after a baseball game in the yard. Middle Top: My dad and Beata at Thanksgiving with me. Middle Bottom: The kids stopping to pose for a photo. Right: Our wedding was incredible. We were married outdoors, we wrote our own vows, named each dinner table for meaningful people and events in our lives and we topped the night off with a live band and a great party.

Above Left: Our family Christmas with my cousins, aunts and uncles in Ionia. Right: One of my three ArtPrize exhibits related to my Detroit photography. My exhibits usually had more than 40 pieces and I also included specially crafted furniture and other features like mirrors and re-purposed materials from Detroit. We had some great family time in Grand Rapids celebrating ArtPrize when I exhibited. More of my photography is linked here.