I began making games when I was 10.

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This is amongst the oldest designs I have saved. It dates all the way back to 2010!
It would be inaccurate to describe myself as "in love" with games. The term I think suits better is "totally obsessed." Growing up as a military brat, I found myself moving almost every year. That meant finding new friends, new neighborhoods, and new challenges all the time.

​But video games were a constant, and I gradually developed an absolute adoration for them. At first I merely obsessed over the small collection of Nintendo titles I owned, but soon enough I began fantasizing about the wonderful experiences I could craft from my own imagination.

This began as drawing RPG maps and monsters on printer paper in study hall. Little did I know this quirk of mine would define my life for years to come.

As I grew, so did my games.

By the time my family finally settled down I was beginning High School. I continued my artistic ambitions in earnest, branching out from my old RPG sketches into whatever struck my fancy. It was at this time that I initially dipped my toes into Unity and experimented with interactive storytelling via text-based adventure games. 

These years also brought my first foray into professional work, as I began working as a volunteer designer for Sunstone Games. With the added motivation of potentially making a career out of this passion, my artistic skilled improved greatly over my time with the company.

​By my departure from the company in 2017 I had contributed multiple characters for the company's TCG, collaborated directly with the CEO, and even been brought on as an on-staff artist and narrative designer.

Eventually I realized I needed to learn more.
As I graduated High School with an IB Certificate in hand, I set my sights on acquiring as much knowledge as possible about my passion. Game Design programs were appearing all over the country in 2016, so my choices were plentiful.

At last I settled on Columbia College Chicago, seeking not only to earn my degree, but also to broaden my horizons by moving to an entirely unfamiliar part of the country. 

There I found myself studying under professionals who had worked in the industry for decades. I became versed in new software and eagerly consumed all the knowledge I could glean from my professors. I even began a delightful job at an escape room, developing a new appreciation for physical prototyping and problem solving!

In the process, I learned much more about myself.

Graduating in 2020 meant facing a world that was changing. Little did I know that my own changes were fast approaching. Entering lockdown, I found myself with something I'd never had before. Time. 

While I remained hard at work on many personal projects, I also took time to try to figure out who I was, and who I wanted to be.

By the time I was receiving my first COVID vaccine, I came to realize that I was transgender. This was something I had, on some level, understood for some time, but even still it was wonderful to finally put a voice to those feelings I'd had for over a decade. Before the end of 2021, I began my medical transition.
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Wow! Now that's what I call a glow-up!

The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

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Nothing makes me feel more at ease than working on my games.
Transitioning has been a profound experience and has deeply affected myself and my art. I found my work was thoroughly enriched, and I began to treat the characters I created and games I produced with a deeper sense of empathy and attention to detail.

​Where once I was painting a picture with broad strokes, now I found myself focusing on and relishing the details.

I think this is why my work has improved so quickly since I began my transition! It's easier to love what you do when you really love yourself too.

So, what comes next?

What does my future hold?

I never want to stop making games. My goals are, in many ways, the same as they've always been. Keep creating things, keep getting better, keep learning new things, and keep meeting new people. I know I've come far, but it's important to know that I have a long way to go! I'm always trying to get better and develop new skills.