"How did you wind up here?"

I wish there was a good explanation for my meandering, something more than, "It seemed like a good idea at the time." Well, OK, there are three.

POLYMATH I find everything interesting — perhaps to a fault. I want to learn it all.
HAPPIER OUTDOORS Mountains, rivers, seas, forests: The places you'll find me hiding.
MISSION-DRIVEN We are all meant to be useful to each other. The greatest gifts are shared.
100+ NEWSROOMS SERVED
21 COUNTRIES VISITED
4 DEGREES EARNED
15 RIVERS GUIDED

2026 — Present

Current

Knight-Wallace Fellow

University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Great Lakes Local News Fellow, researching the relationship between civic engagement and news demand.

2023 — Present

Current

Director, Audience & Civic Engagement

The Local Journalism Foundation, Inc. & NowKalamazoo

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Co-founder, board director, and operations leader of a community nonprofit and hyperlocal news service on a mission to reinvigorate local journalism.

2018 — 2023

News

Senior Director, Storytelling Studio

USA Today Network

McLean, Virginia

Managed agile team developing award-winning custom news presentation software, interactive experiences, and data visualizations.

2017 — 2018

Product

Senior Director, Innovation & Development

USA Today Network

McLean, Virginia

Led team building prototypes of newsroom tools and consumer products powered by machine learning.

2016 — 2017

News

Senior Director, News Analytics

USA Today Network

McLean, Virginia

Used audience analytics to guide editorial strategy and best practices. Leader of the Network's 40 local market audience analysts.

2013 — 2016

Business

Vice President, Innovation & Product Development

Michigan.com

Detroit, Michigan

Future-casting and prototype building for The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press. Digital transition strategy. Launched company-wide innovation training.

2012 — 2013

News

Regional Digital News Director

Lansing State Journal

Lansing, Michigan

Supervised regional hub for three newsrooms' web and mobile publishing. Managed video and social media staff.

2008 — 2012

Marketing

Chief Content Officer

Startup creative agency, outdoor industry

Salt Lake City, Utah

Executive leadership for a startup agency serving national brands in the outdoor industry. Supervised creative, web, video, social and account management teams.

2005 — 2011

River

Commercial whitewater raft guide & swiftwater rescue instructor

Colorado, West Virginia, Tennessee, Costa Rica, Arizona, Washington, Mexico

  1. 0 Born, Toledo, Ohio
  2. 1 First rafting experience in college, Lower Youghiogheny River, Penn.
  3. 2 First experience Colo. whitewater, leave journalism to train as river guide
  4. 3 Train on 6 rivers out of Buena Vista, Colo., living in tent for first 104 days
  5. 4 Begin life as itinerant raft guide, finding work on Ocoee River, Tenn
  6. 5 Buy 1-way ticket, in gamble to find work on Costa Rican rivers
  7. 6 Spring rafting, living on an Ariz. Apache Indian reservation
  8. 7 Walk on to big-league, class V rafting, Gauley Season, W.Va.
  9. 8 Pass training as swiftwater rescue instructor, Skykomish River, Wash.
  10. 9 Add Mexico to list of countries guided, Copalita River, Oaxaca, Mex.
  11. X Stories I should tell you someday

1999 — 2005

News

Journalist

Summit Daily News

Frisco, Colorado

Photographer, news editor, reporter, columnist.

1999

Education

Associate Professor

Colorado Mountain College

Breckenridge, Colorado

Community college instructor teaching general chemistry.

1998

Student

M.Ed. Math, Science & Technology Education

The Ohio State University

Columbus, Ohio

Honors graduate. Harry C. Moore Graduate Scholar. Chemistry graduate teaching assistant.

1996

Student

B.S. Psychology, B.A. English, B.A. Chemistry

The Ohio State University

Columbus, Ohio

Cum Laude graduate. Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society. Chemistry research assistant. Jacobson Fiction Award winner. ΔΣɸ Fraternity Vice President. Suicide Hotline volunteer. Elementary school reading volunteer.

1991

Student

High School Graduation

Springfield High School

Holland, Ohio

Valedictorian. Four-sport athlete. Commander of national champion JROTC drill team.

1988

Character

Eagle Scout

Troop 101

Waterville, Ohio

To help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.