Hello! I’m a marketing and communications specialist who has served brands in sectors ranging from auto to entertainment to government agencies, including Honda Motor Company America, The Walt Disney Company, Sony Music Entertainment, Virgin, Vibe Magazine, NASA, and Belk Department Stores.

I’ve launched several successful ventures that reach niche lifestyle audiences across the world. I am known for an international (and sometimes intergalactic) perspective on business, as well as a dedication to science education and social action!

But really, I’m just incredibly curious and enjoy taking on new challenges in my life and career.

That’s the short version of “who I am”. Below is a more detailed rundown of my  professional career path.

CAREER

I got my start having fun.  While studying film at New York University, I was making a small living as a DJ. This lead to a job as urban music buyer for all three American stores owned by British retail chain HMV. My focus and knowledge of music and marketing caught the eye of record companies, and soon I was snatched up to run promotion and marketing departments. For ten years, I had the honor of being one of the few, proud pioneers promoting hip-hop and new urban music to radio, television, and film. I designed and executed marketing and promotion plans at labels including Virgin, Sony, Capitol, Universal, and Loud Records. I got to create and execute new marketing programs, select directors to make videos – even remix some records!

Facing off against Vader

In 1996, I launched an independent marketing consultancy, to continue the work I was doing in entertainment marketing for any label, brand, or artist. My  philosophy was – and still is,  really – to innovate, but to deliver innovation my clients can really use. Marketing programs I design tend to have a focus on moving units of product, sometimes directly, and there’s always some kind of experience involved. The reason for this is that people don’t remember being ‘sold to’, it’s not a fun time. But they do remember great experiences, and that’s where you  want your  brand to be. In those memories. I’ve had the pleasure of working on successful events and campaigns with a wide range of talent and brands in the United States, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

I also took advantage of a great opportunity to sharpen my creative skills on animation projects. For three years, I specialized in background colors, texture, and animation on “Doug”, “Doug’s 1st Movie”, and “Sabrina, The Animated Series” at Jumbo Pictures, which was acquired by Disney, and the cult favorite “Courage, the Cowardly Dog” at Stretch Films for Cartoon Network.

In 2000, I returned to marketing thorough interactive media. I created (and sold) the first interactive presence for an artist or entertainment property in social media at Community Connect, Inc. (now a central part of Interactive One) for R&B artist Brian McKnight. In 2002, I created “21st Century Style“, a music series with Enyce Clothing Company (now a part of the Sean John portfolio) that gave the world its first look at Grammy Award-winning artist John Legend. In 2003, I launched fashion label Triple 5 Soul‘s music series with an exclusive mix CD celebrating their 15th anniversary. In 2004, I brought Honda Motor Company, Vibe Magazine, and SonyBMG Music Entertainment together to showcase new artists in a series called “First Up”.  In 2005, Trace magazine brought me in to start its interactive music project with a podcast series that started from its “Music Uncommon” issue. In 2006, I  created and produced “Hands-On”, an invite-only video game tournament that brought urban video game enthusiasts together with hip hop artists. Later that year, I brought Seagram’s Gin to Tom Joyner’s BlackAmericaWeb.com to present the “Listening Lounge”, which showcased new artists in an area where they can hear and purchase, and in 2007, he brought AT&T together with BlackAmericaWeb.com for an exclusive video performance series called “In Studio Jam”,  which is still running. In 2008, I created the RushmoreDrive-In channel for IAC/InterActive Corp. That brief experience showed me that there was a great need for a new face in multicultural movie blogging, so I launched the award-winning TheBlackBoxOffice.com, a popular arts and entertainment website that singlehandedly changed the way multicultural film is marketed online. Shortly afterwards, I was named Vice President of the African American Film Critics Association, the largest and oldest group of multicultural entertainment journalists in the country.

From 2010 – 2012, I joined The Walt Disney Company’s Radio Disneydivision, bringing my experience of breaking artists, strategic

with the ref at a FIRST Robotics competition

marketing, sales, and brand management together to serve the #1 family entertainment brand in the world.

In 2011, I hosted my first STEM (science, technology,  engineering and math) Education Awareness event for NASA with Administrator Charlie Bolden and Associate Administrator of Education Leland Melvin. I was also an invited guest at the launch of STS-135, the final flight of the Space Shuttle program. This was my  moment  of epiphany,  where I realized what kind of impact I could have by applying  my  professional  experience in a new and positive way. I launched “Starport”, an initiative that promotes science and math education through application in the arts, that day. I’ve worked with NASA on their “Summer of Innovation” program, and  ”Starport” grew to become “Sci-Fi Generation”, an interactive destination, event series, and book that illustrates the impact science has on pop culture.

I’ve been most  successful when I connect entertainment to new products, brands,  or social causes.

My career  won’t stop until I do, and I never stop learning. Most  importantly, I’m still having a lot of fun.

If you’re interested,  there’s a more detailed look at my career and professional accomplishments on my linkedin.com page, HERE.

FAMILY

My wife, children, and I live in North Carolina.

Education:
I’ve studied at The High School of Art & Design, New York University, Harvard Business School Executive Education,  and Disney University.

Hobbies:
Reading, music, writing, art, and restoring classic cars/synthesizers.

Sports:
New York Yankees
Chelsea FC
Carolina Panthers
Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Galaxy

I’m also a student of the kuk sool won and toyama-ryu iaido martial arts disciplines.