Growing up in Northern Michigan offered an abundance of opportunities. As a kid, I was an avid sports enthusiast, enjoying baseball, soccer, track, mountain biking, and winter sports like skiing and snowboarding. Ice hockey in particular taught me the value of teamwork, dedication, and a strong work ethic, and even led to some incredible experiences like meeting some of my hockey heroes as a stick boy for the Detroit Red Wings training camp.

Beyond sports, I nurtured my curiosity through diverse hobbies. Writing became a passion from a young age. Participating in the Young Author's program, I connected with like-minded creatives and even inspired my classmates. Collaborative projects soon blossomed between teams of elementary writers and artists crafting stories and eventually engineering complex tabletop game scenarios.

As technology and the internet played a bigger role in everyday life, I ventured into the digital realm by creating video games and exploring information technology through my local Career-Tech Center. In college, my creativity and passion for writing led me to tutoring; witnessing students' growth ignited a sense of purpose that drove me to pursue a career in education.