I was born in Washington DC during the late sixties. My father was both a scientist and a musician. I grew up waking to the sound of my father practicing in the morning and hearing about the latest space missions at night. As a kid my mom gave us lots of room to play and lots of opportunity to create. I made all kinds of crazy contraptions out in the garage. My first furniture was a chipboard stereo rack for my Pioneer receiver and tape deck. In college I couldn't afford a couch so I got some 2x4's and a car load of scrap foam and the infamous "Passion Pit" was created. Strapping it to the top of a Toyota Tercel I brought it back to my dorm room where I received a heroes welcome. Everyone suggested that I go into furniture and as I was easily influenced, I agreed. I went to the Furniture Design program at the Rochester Institute of Technology where I found a passion for designing and building. After finishing school I worked with others for a while before opening my own studio in 1996.