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About

I am an engineer, welder/fabricator, and community collaborator. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree from the Joint UNC Asheville/NC State Mechatronics Engineering program and a Master of Engineering degree with a concentration in Engineering Management from NC State. I spent four years at Eaton Corporation as a product applications engineer before returning to work at UNCA as the Engineering Design Studio and Lab manager. During my time in the Engineering department, I received my professional engineering licensure, worked toward a Master’s degree, and designed and developed STEAM Studio with a collaborative team from the Engineering and Art departments. In 2018, I transitioned to the role of Director of STEAM Studio, where I oversee daily operations and projects and co-founded the community outreach program Skillset. I love to design and build large scale projects and have lead students and staff in building projects ranging from an animatronic life-sized elk to a larger-than-life 22 ft tall animatronic figurehead.

Design Philosophy

I believe in the power of design to improve the world we live in when applied through intersectional and ecological lenses. Design fields have caused tremendous harm through unintended design consequences, from ecological disasters like oil spills and lead poisoning to reinforcing structural and systemic racism and colonial practices. I believe that it’s time for us to envision new systems and new approaches to design that support the communities harmed by those practices and prioritize the health of the earth and ecosystems that our lives depend on.

Designers and makers are agents for change. We have the tools, the knowledge and the skills to build a better future now.