Originally from Missoula, Montana, I received my BA in Design/Technical Theatre (emphases in Scenic and Costume Design) from Washington University in St. Louis. After graduating, I worked for four years as a Designer, Technical Director, and Faculty member at a prep school in St. Louis, where I fell in love with teaching.
Thinking I wanted to work in TV & film (though I quickly realized this was NOT a good fit for me), I moved to Los Angeles and began a job working in Human Resources for an IT Staffing and Consulting company. The two years I spent there under the mentorship of a phenomenal HR Director taught me a number of important lessons, including just how transferable the skills we use in technical theatre are to any career. Being in an entirely new field gave me perspective on my past experiences; I missed teaching, and I realized that technical theatre was my tool of choice for teaching critical thinking, problem solving, adaptability, communication, and more.
In order to return to teaching, I went on to pursue an MFA in Technical Direction at the University of Nevada - Las Vegas. Since graduating, I have proudly taught at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, first as the Assistant Technical Director (2014-2016) and now as the Faculty Technical Director (2016 - present). I teach courses both within the department and as part of the university's General Education program. I am committed to using my craft to prepare students with valuable skills both within and beyond the realm of theatre. As part of this interest in transferable skills, I currently serve on the General Education Committee for the university, where I also take part in a subcommittee working towards a redesign of the program.