About

To dance, clap hands, exult, shout, skip, leap, roll on, float on,
To be a sailor of the world, bound for all ports,
A ship itself, (see indeed these sails I spread to the sun and air,)
A swift and swelling ship, full of rich words—full of joys.
Walt Whitman – Leaves of Grass

I grew up on Mt. Oread, a hill we call a mountain in Kansas, surrounded by artists in a community that pushes the limits for artistic expression. It was only natural that as a resident of Lawrence I would be drawn to the arts, photography in particular. I left one “K” state for the other one when I decided to follow my dream and get a degree at Western Kentucky University. It was there that I saw that my Mt. Oread was but a small hill in comparison to the rolling terrain of the Bluegrass State. Currently I am a Photo Editor for the Associated Press in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining AP I worked as a videographer and photojournalist at the Northwest Herald in Crystal Lake, Il. I have spent time working for The Patriot-News, The Topeka Capital-Journal, Oregonian and Monroe Evening News. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Photojournalism and Political Science.