About Me
Background
I first earned an Associate degree in Computer Graphics and Multimedia, attaining skills in Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark and basic HTML, among others. In my first position, I designed yellow page ads, learning Adobe InDesign on-the-job. Over time I moved on to other positions, among which were Graphic Designer, Web Designer, and Prepress Technician.
I returned to school in 2009 and earned a Bachelor's degree in Web Design and Interactive Media, taking classes such as Fundamentals of Audio, Fundamentals of Video, Color Theory, Design and Typography, Scriptwriting for the Web, User-Centered Design, Scripting, among others. It helped me hone the fundamentals and pick up new skills.
Since that time I have held positions at several companies working predominantly on web-based projects as a Web Designer, Website Manager, Front End Developer, and Web Developer. I have worked on a variety of systems, both proprietary as well as open source, such as Wordpress. Learning new technologies, techniques and processes is part of the territory as the internet landscape is ever-changing.
Pastimes
In my free time I like to read and write (I'm actually in the middle of writing a novel). I'm a huge movie buff too! Don't ask me what my favorite is, there are too many I love. I hold a black belt in American Kenpo and have taught martial arts since the mid-90s. I enjoy exploring new roads on my motorcycle and being relatively new to the Portland, Oregon area, there are quite a few to explore. I'm active in my local church group and believe my faith helps me to look for the best in myself and others.
