I am married with two very busy boys.  Outside of work, I enjoy family life; camping, baseball, Alabama football, music, scouts, and the beach.

Professionally, I have been teaching since 1997.  I was the 23-24 Mobile County Middle School teacher of the Year, The U.S. Air & Space Force District Teacher of the Year and Barton Academy's Teacher of the Year. I have received two Arty Awards for Arts Educator from the Mobile Arts Council.   I was selected as the 2005-2006 Alabama Secondary Art Educator, and as the THS Teacher of the Year for 2006-2007.  I received a Nappie Award in 2013 for the Best Local Artist.

Not only do I teach art, I also practice what I teach.  I have artwork in six countries including Italy, Japan, Australia, Poland, Slovakia, and the U.S.  I designed the 2004 and 2005 Bayfest Posters.  I designed the poster and t-shirt design for the Wragg Swamp Festival for 2007.  I won first place in the sculpture category of the adult art contest at the 2005 Greater Gulf State Fair, 1st and 2nd place in the drawing category of the 2009 Greater Gulf State Fair, 2nd place in the painting category and Best of Show for the Adult Amateur division of the 2009 Greater Gulf State Fair.  

I encourage my students to participate in many shows, exhibitions, and contests.  They have won local, state and even national art competitions.  Recently, our Barton Artists had their work displayed as ornaments in D.C. alongside the National Christmas Tree. Former student artists have won prizes ranging from ceramic piggy banks to trips to Washington D.C. & Istanbul, Turkey to $5,000.00 cash to $45,000.00 scholarship awards.  Like I often tell my students, you can't win if you don't enter.  I want my students to feel the joy of being recognized for their accomplishments and to learn to grow from challenges.