At age ten I began honing my design skills by creating ad layouts for my mom’s business, Dawson Dance Centre in Dawsonville, Georgia. Creating ads for studio sponsors until age fifteen taught me the value of attention to detail. I was fascinated to learn the earliest versions of graphic design software.
I graduated to Photoshop and got a taste for design. As a high school sophomore at Manchester High School, I took on every graphic design publication: the school newspaper Outta Tha Blue and annual yearbook. I created layouts in both publications using Adobe InDesign. I graduated with a Fine Arts diploma in 2009.
I was in my first year at Mercer University as an undergrad and joining as a contributor to the campus newspaper The Cluster. I applied and was accepted for a position in the Mercer University Marketing Communications department as a student video producer, which demanded an acute attention to detail in design. I applied to be the Program Director of MERCER99, the campus television station, and was accepted. Two years in a leadership role as station president saw MERCER99 earn two campus life awards: Most Improved Student Organization in 2010 and Student Organization of the Year in 2011. In the same year I was elected Interim President of Society of Collegiate Journalists Mercer University chapter.
In 2013 I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies and Theatre from Mercer University. Following my graduation at Mercer, I applied for an internship with Mercer Athletics. I worked in the Marketing department of athletics as the New Media Coordinator. In this six-month internship I developed billboard ads for Mercer basketball and broadcast graphics for ESPN. I managed Mercer Bears athletics social media channels and designed sponsorship mock-ups for stadium branding with Ford.
In its opening year, 2014, I joined the staff of Orbit Arts Academy as Marketing Director. At Orbit, I pioneered the brand identity for performing arts non-profit programs. Designed apparel, print marketing, show programs, installation art. Produced video interviews with Broadway artists. Cultivated team of marketing interns. March 2019 marked my fifth year with the company.
In 2019 I earned a Master of Fine Arts in Film and Television from Savannah College of Art and Design.