How did you become a designer/artist?

As a child I drew, painted and copied my parents' and brother's work. I had a knack for copying anything and enjoyed it. I enjoyed art history at Paramus high school and enrolled in four years' of art classes and woodshop. My father is very handy, so I learned plenty from him about tools and construction. Building things as a child was a constant – from skateboard ramps to forts, sandcastles to coffee tables and shelves. I had my own 35mm camera at a young age and loved taking black and white photos. I decided to enter Trenton State College and pursue a career in advertising and graphic design.

What areyou doing now?

I am currently the creative director of a pharmaceutical marketing agency. We write, design and produce interactive online sessions for physicians. The dialogue is mostly in a promotional voice although we also produce educational and market research surveys. The educational interactions are in the form of continuing education and the market research focus on perceptions of particular trends and research.

Where are you from originally?

I am from Paramus, New Jersey, and moved back here after six years of having my own design studio in Princeton, New Jersey.

What are your plans for the future?

I currently do many freelance projects from print to Web and focus on branding and marketing strategies for a wide variety of industries. I plan on going back to my early roots and open a new advertising agency in the very near future. There will be a publishing segment focusing on books and magazines. I plan on purchasing a house near my home for this new company and create a boutique-style design and advertising company for around 4-8 employees.

What American artist inspires you most?

I love the work of Milton Glaser and Paul Rand. I have always strived to simplify and produce design work that communicates instantly. These two established the definition of the term "graphic designer" to me. Simplicity is always the best solution. Examples of their simplicity are Milton's I Love NY logo and Paul's famous Westinghouse and IBM logos. I also like the work of Kevin Duffy.

What unlocks your creativity?

I love to listen to music. I sometimes need quiet when I am beginning the development stages of a project. Concentrating on the verbal requires quiet, but once the ideas are started the music plays. I play a wide variety of genres and usually pick something that gets me in the mood I need to be in at that particular time of day.