I am a Wisconsin native and alum of Monona Grove High School. I have a bachelor’s degree in acting from Arizona State University where I graduated with honors and was on the 1997 Rose Bowl team. After my undergraduate program, I attended the Desert Institute of Healing Arts in Tucson. At the same time, I began working as a production assistant for Borderlands Theater. Borderlands mission was bringing voice to border issues, where I would later become box office manager. There is a large theater scene in Arizona, and I continued to work as an actor with Arizona Theatre Company, Borderlands, Live Theatre Workshop, and Southwest Shakespeare Co.
It wasn’t long before I realized I could not avoid Los Angeles any longer, and I moved to Santa Monica. There I was assistant manager at the Forrest Yoga Institute and then TruYoga. I taught classes daily and was an ambassador for Lululemon. To start out as an actor, I had small roles in soap operas and independent film which helped me earn my SAG card. Through friendships I began working with students at American Film Institute and they taught me more of the ins and outs of film production and working behind the screen.
I’ve had the pleasure of producing for an Academy Award winning Director, directing Emmy winning actors, and having content on most major streaming platforms. I’ve worked many odd jobs here and there to stay an artist and maintain an independent nature.
In 2020, I started my own 501©(3) organization in youth arts education, The Children’s Film Academy of Madison. The organization has just finished its 4th season, producing three short films each season. Our films have been screened at the State Capitol in recognition of the work of lifting voices less heard. They have also screened at major film festivals including the Wisconsin Film Festival, Milwaukee Shorts International, and in Times Square. Most of our films have won awards and established artistic quality. But it has been a lot of work to wear most of the organizational hats and to keep CFAM running financially. Obviously, this is not a sustainable model, and it is clear I have much to learn about non-profit governance. That’s where the Bolz Center comes in. What a pleasant surprise for me to find this program in my hometown where I am already establishing a mission driven organization. I am looking forward to perfecting my grant writing skills and learning the mysteries of the non-profit sector. Though I will keep working on developing my 501©(3), I will also keep myself open to other opportunities that arise from all the networking and new faces I am meeting.
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