I am a Wisconsin-based, award-winning filmmaker, video producer, and media educator dedicated to using visual storytelling to amplify local voices, preserve community history, and create meaningful opportunities for young people and emerging creatives. My work blends documentary filmmaking, animation, and digital media production with a strong commitment to education, accessibility, and community engagement.
For more than two decades, I have developed a body of work focused on community-centered storytelling through projects, workshops, and partnerships with local schools, nonprofits, and civic organizations throughout Racine County and surrounding areas. Through the Racine Video Production Workshop and related initiatives, I have taught youth and adult participants the fundamentals of filmmaking, animation, podcasting, editing, and digital storytelling, guiding them from concept to completed production. These programs emphasize both technical skill development and creative expression, empowering participants to share their own stories with confidence.
As a filmmaker, my work ranges from short documentaries and promotional videos to narrative and experimental projects that explore personal, social, and cultural themes. I am particularly interested in blending traditional documentary techniques with animation and visual effects to create engaging, accessible storytelling experiences. My creative approach emphasizes authenticity, collaboration, and curiosity, with a focus on highlighting the richness and diversity of everyday life in Wisconsin communities.
In addition to my creative practice, I bring extensive experience in project management, collaboration, and resource development through grants, sponsorships, and community partnerships. This work has strengthened my ability to design sustainable programs that balance artistic excellence with meaningful community impact. I regularly collaborate with educators, nonprofit leaders, and local business owners to ensure that my projects remain responsive to community needs and opportunities.
My work is grounded in the belief that access to creative tools and mentorship can transform lives and strengthen communities. I am especially committed to serving young people who may not otherwise have access to professional media training, and to creating pathways for them to explore creative careers, civic engagement, and lifelong learning through the arts.
Through my ongoing artistic practice, I seek to continue growing as a visual artist while contributing to Wisconsin’s creative infrastructure. Whether producing original films, mentoring emerging creators, or developing innovative community-based media projects, my goal is to create work that is thoughtful, inclusive, and deeply rooted in place. This grant would support my continued development as an artist and educator, allowing me to deepen my craft and expand the reach and impact of my work across the state.
"The project is a community, and then it's filming a bigger community, in a bigger community."
This project will support the production of three short documentary films highlighting local creative individuals in Wisconsin, with a focus on artists, makers, and cultural leaders who contribute to the vitality of their communities. Each film will be created through a collaborative, hands-on process involving approximately twenty students and a dozen local volunteers, providing meaningful opportunities for creative learning, mentorship, and community storytelling.
The films will be produced using a mixed-media approach that blends live-action documentary footage with creative techniques. Potential approaches may include elements such as stop-motion animation, illustrated or comic-style panels, and experimental visual storytelling methods, depending on the direction of each story. This flexible approach will allow participants to explore multiple artistic styles while creating engaging and accessible narratives.
Building on my background in community-based media production and education, this project combines professional filmmaking practices with youth-centered training. Participants will work alongside me throughout the full production process, including research, interviewing, filming, editing, animation, and post-production. Through this immersive experience, students and volunteers will gain practical technical skills while developing confidence, teamwork, and creative voice.
Each film will profile a different local creative, exploring their artistic journey, cultural impact, and connection to place. The finished films will be shared through public screenings, film festival submissions, and online platforms, ensuring broad access for audiences throughout the region.
Over the course of my career, I have worked with more than 100 schools, nonprofits, and community organizations across Wisconsin. These relationships will support participant recruitment, project coordination, and public presentation of the completed work.
Community involvement is central to this project. Students will be recruited through existing educational programs, while volunteers will include local creatives, educators, and media professionals who will serve as mentors and production assistants.
In the short term, this initiative will provide participants with intensive training in filmmaking and collaborative production while producing high-quality mixed-media films that celebrate local artistry. In the long term, the project will strengthen regional creative infrastructure by building pathways for young people to pursue artistic careers and expanding mentorship networks.
Through this project, I aim to deepen my artistic practice while empowering emerging storytellers and celebrating Wisconsin’s diverse creative landscape. The initiative will foster lasting connections between artists, students, and communities.
