About me:

Calling both the Great Lakes of Michigan and the mountains of Virginia home, I am a footwear designer, outdoor enthusiast, and lover of all things sport.

Why design?

Design is less a field of work and more a lens through which I see the world. The intersection of beauty and performance is where I derive a never ending source of inspiration to be a part of creating the future. Proportions, sculpting, texture, geometry, color, finish, and materials all combine quantitative elements that produce a qualitative response. Following in my grandfather’s footsteps, who was a design engineer at Ford Motor Company, I take great pride in the work I do and the teams I work with.

What is good design?

Design is complex in that it has many different facets. I am not sure if this is original to me, but the following is how I see design as a whole:

1. Design is an art

2. Design is a science

3. Design is a business

4. Design is a service

In its purest form design is art, beauty encapsulated, speaking to both the mind and the emotions. Humans are beautifully designed and part of that design is the capacity to appreciate and produce meaningful art.

In its practical outworking design must work in accordance with the laws of science and nature. Part of the beauty of good design is how it can seamlessly integrate into the reality of the physical (and increasingly digital) world.

Good design takes into account practical market considerations and the constraints of both the buyer and producer. Oftentimes artificial constraints can lead to heightened creativity.

To truly be “good”, design must serve everyone it comes in contact with. From the designer to the those manufacturing it, and ultimately the end user, each party must be treated in an ethical, empathetic, responsible, and caring manner.

I love design because, it is the building of the future, aesthetically, functionally, and culturally. It is a field of dichotomies and complexities, yet it always boils down to creating beautiful, functional products that serve people’s needs.

Inspirations:

The following are individuals who are an inspiration to me as a designer:

1. Flavio Manzoni: Design Director, Ferrari

2. Nina Geometrieva: Designer, Apple iOS

3. Sophie Elizabeth Thompson: Sculptor

4. Thomas Ingenlath: CEO at Polestar (Formerly head of design at Volvo)

5. Maximilian Missoni: Head of Design, Polestar

6. Christopher Nolan: Filmmaker

7. Ryan Booth: Filmmaker & Photographer

8. Pep Guardiola: Manchester City Coach

9. Simon Sinek: Author

10. David Brooks: NYT Columnists