Born in western New York, I was always interested in art and the fantasy genre.  Raised in a creative family it was a set of interests strongly encouraged.  Having an acting and puppeteering father, it was a treat to go backstage after a performance.  After graduating high school I worked at a public library for four years while trying to decide what i really wanted to do.  One night, at 2 a.m., after having watched the behind-the-scenes to Hellboy one time too many I chose Special Effects Makeup as what I wanted to spend my life doing.

An internet search later I had my school of choice, the Tom Savini Special Effects Program at Douglas Education Center.  My family helped me shove my stuff in a trailer and I moved to the Pittsburgh area, the first time I had really moved away from home.  Starting classes in October of 2011 I learned as much as I could as well as I could to graduate in January of 2013.  Now back in New York, I live in Buffalo with my sister.​