Bio:
I was born and raised in Lansing, Michigan but I spent the second year of my life in Xi’an China where my parents taught English at a university. From a young age I loved art, building, and tinkering but I never thought it could be a career path. At 17 I was already on track to a law degree at Michigan State University studying political science and philosophy.
After two years I decided to take a break from college, and inspired by books that I’d been reading bought a $700 motorcycle and took off on a two month, 7000 mile road trip around the Eastern U.S. When I returned to Michigan in 2003 I changed direction, moved to Grand Rapids and completed my degree in Industrial Design in 2008. While in school I worked for two small design consultancies, both in the office furniture industry.
After finishing college I moved to Denver, Colorado to pursue a career in the outdoor sports industry. While I loved living in Colorado and all of the adventures I had there, I returned to West Michigan after three years to expand my opportunities. Since then I have had the privilege of working as a designer and expanding my skills and knowledge in the corporate world.
Outside of design my passions are biking - I love to spend my free time tinkering with and riding them. I have also found a renewed interest in bicycle and motorcycle touring and I am always looking forward to new adventures and trips. I love getting outside through canoeing, hiking and backpacking, and I recently started indoor rock climbing and snowshoeing to cope with the cold Michigan winters.
Photo by Joel Swierenga