I was born and raised in Topeka, KS, and I've always been the creative, crafty type. As a kid, you could find me cutting paper, making bracelets, coloring, and especially creating 3-D objects out of paper. When high school came around, the looming question of what I’d do after graduation arrived faster than I anticipated. And just when I thought I had a clear path, the pandemic disrupted everything.

With the usual route of college feeling uncertain, I decided to explore other options. That's when I discovered the technical school offered through a local college. As I reviewed the different programs, Graphics Technology stood out to me the most. It was an area I was already passionate about, and I saw it as the perfect opportunity to blend my love for creativity with practical skills.

After graduating from the Graphics Technology program, I began working in customer service at Studentreasures Publishing. However, I felt the need for more clarity and direction regarding my future, so I decided to take a gap year. During this time, I gained valuable insight into where I wanted to take my career.

Motivated by my gap year experiences, I decided to return to school to finish my associate's degree in Graphic Design. Back in Topeka, I reached out to contacts from my time at Studentreasures and landed a part-time internship in their marketing division. This role enabled me to apply my graphic design skills while working closely with the marketing team to develop visuals that matched and strengthened the company’s branding.