Major: 
Journalism
Year Graduated: 
2008
Hometown: 
Coppell, Texas
Current City: 
Lexington, Kentucky
Current Employer: 
Director, Content Development and Digital Media, JMI Sports
Top played song on your playlist?: 
Right now it’s “Greatest of All Time” by New Found Glory
Where has your CI degree taken you?: 

I struggled to find a journalism job immediately after school, so I worked in product management at an electronics distributor in Clearwater, Florida. During that time, I started my own website to keep my writing fresh. That turned into a partnership on KentuckySportsRadio.com, which I oversaw for 4 years. I then produced (1 year) and hosted (6 years) Kentucky Sports Television, based in Louisville. After deciding to leave TV, I moved to Lexington in 2018 to work with Coach Calipari on his website and the creative strategy for UK Men’s Basketball, while also overseeing the UK Sports Network.

What is your favorite thing about your job?: 

I love the creative freedom of my job, as well as the challenges that come with it. The constantly changing world of college athletics, media and sports marketing present exciting opportunities to solve problems creatively. I also absolutely love getting to work with and around student-athletes.

What¹s the most valuable thing you learned in CI?: 

I learned to come out of my shell and how to believe in myself. I obviously gained a lot from my coursework, but the most value I got out of CI was the ability to be comfortable with myself and to be open to new things. Relationships with the faculty, especially Dr. Farrell, transformed me as a person and set a foundation for everything that I have been able to accomplish professionally since.

What advice would you give to current CI students?: 

Be involved in everything you can and try to challenge yourself to get outside your comfort zone. I don’t think I did enough when I was in school, but the times I did so are some of my favorite experiences at UK. Coach Cal tells the players that he wants them to “be comfortable being uncomfortable”. I think that’s great advice for young people and it’s something I wish I’d done a little more of when I was a student.