My Story

From Memphis to the West Coast

I was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, where I spent my entire life until my wife and I made the leap to San Diego in late 2023. With both of us working remotely, we decided it was time to try something different. Trading Memphis barbecue for beach volleyball has been quite the adventure.

Education & Early Foundations

My academic journey began at Christian Brothers University, where I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology Management. I continued my education at the University of Memphis (Go Tigers!), earning a Master’s in Applied Computer Science with a specialty in Ecommerce. These experiences laid the technical foundation that would prove invaluable throughout my career, giving me a unique understanding of both the business and technical sides of digital products.

Finding My Path: From Developer to Designer

I started my career as a hybrid web designer and front-end developer, which gave me a rare perspective on how design and development work together. My first significant role was at AutoZone, where I learned to thrive in a large corporate environment. More importantly, I discovered the art of selling design work through persuasion and the critical importance of stakeholder management—skills that have served me well throughout my career.

While at AutoZone, an opportunity arose that I couldn’t pass up: joining the Memphis Grizzlies organization. As a lifelong Grizzlies fan, this felt like a dream come true (even if I wasn’t joining the actual team on the court!). During my four seasons with the Grizzlies, I experienced tremendous growth while living and breathing that “Grit & Grind” mentality that defined the team.

The Pivotal Choice: Embracing UX Design

At a crossroads in my career, I faced a decision: go deeper into design or focus on front-end development. While I felt competent in both areas, I realized I needed to specialize to truly excel. Ultimately, my heart led me to design, and I haven’t looked back since.

Returning to AutoZone in a UX Delivery Lead role, I focused on Design Operations—streamlining workflows, optimizing resource allocation, and improving project delivery. It was during this time that I truly discovered UX design, and it felt like finding the missing piece of a puzzle. UX combined my love for creativity with methodical problem-solving, and I realized I’d been practicing UX principles all along without knowing it.

Looking back, I can see the UX thread throughout my earlier work: designing customer interfaces for car part shopping at AutoZone, creating fan experiences at Grizzlies.com using NBA APIs for team stats and schedules, and constantly thinking about how users interact with digital products.

Growth at Hilton: From Designer to Leader

My transition to Hilton marked the beginning of my true UX journey. As soon as I started applying design thinking and human-centered design approaches, I was completely hooked. I knew I’d made the right choice in focusing on design.

After earning a promotion to Lead UX Designer, I was presented with an opportunity to move into people management. Having had a positive experience managing a small team at the Memphis Grizzlies, I saw this as a chance for greater organizational impact. Over four incredible years as a manager at Hilton, I’ve had the privilege of leading and mentoring talented designers while driving innovation in digital commerce and loyalty experiences.

The work has been both challenging and rewarding—my team and I designed digital enhancements that generated over $460M in incremental revenue per quarter. While my time at Hilton recently came to an unexpected end due to organizational changes, I view this as another opportunity for growth and learning. I’m excited to see where the next chapter takes me.

Beyond the Screen: Life in San Diego

When I’m not designing user experiences, you’ll find me on the beach volleyball courts—a passion my wife and I discovered after moving to San Diego. I’m also an avid traveler, always eager to explore new places, experience different cultures, sample local cuisines, and discover unique hiking trails with epic views.

Photography has become another creative outlet for me, primarily focusing on landscapes and documenting our travels. I also enjoy shooting portraits for friends and family. There’s something special about using my hobbies to bring joy to others.