I grew up in upstate New York, where early on I developed an interest in historic architecture. In my teens I began to work in the construction field on weekends and on summer break. After graduating from SUNY Oneonta, I moved to Athens in 1994 to pursue a Masters in Historic Preservation from UGA. While in graduate school I began once again to work in the construction field and, after earning my degree, I focused primarily on renovation and restoration projects within Athens' historic districts. Eventually I became a licensed Residential Contractor and expanded my business to include remodeling and new-construction with a design-build focus. With two small boys at home I decided to close my business in 2013 to become a part of the team at JOMA.