In the late 90s, I began exploring web design as a hobby, which quickly grew into a passion. My initial exposure was hand-coding HTML. Around the same time, I began experimenting with Adobe Photoshop and later JavaScript to introduce interactivity. By late 1999, I decided to pursue a career in front-end web design and technologies.

In 2000, I enrolled at West Valley College’s digital media department, selecting courses aligned with a digital media certificate or degree. One of my first classes introduced me to Macromedia Director, a timeline-based animation tool that quickly became a major interest. Combined with Photoshop, animation became my primary focus, surpassing HTML. The ability to combine graphics, motion, and audio into interactive experiences became my top goal.

To support myself through school, I applied for a position through a digital media job board with an eLearning startup in downtown San Jose, The Webb Group—and landed the role. At the time, I did not realize I was beginning a career in instructional design that would span over two decades.

At The Webb Group, my primary focus was eLearning. I was quickly introduced to Dreamweaver for rapid layout of large-scale web-based training projects in a collaborative environment. Upon learning of my experience with Director, the team also introduced me to Macromedia Flash. I found it surprising that some developers relied entirely on visual tools without understanding the underlying HTML. My background in coding allowed me to troubleshoot and refine output more effectively, while still appreciating Dreamweaver’s efficiency. This balance between code awareness and rapid production has remained a key strength throughout my career.

Many clients required software simulation training. Before tools like Camtasia existed, we manually recreated simulations in Flash—animating cursor movements, button states, and interactions frame by frame, combined with edited audio narration and sound effects. Years later, using tools like Camtasia, I’ve continued applying that same attention to detail—ensuring smooth cursor motion, realistic pacing, and polished interactions. That foundation continues to influence the quality and realism of modern training content I develop.

After The Webb Group, I expanded my experience across several organizations including Certivo, Rational Software (later IBM), RealNetworks, Clearwater Paper, and T-Mobile. My work has spanned technical training, compliance, safety training, and internal communications, utilizing a wide range of tools across development, design, and multimedia production.

Over time, I have worked across a broad technical spectrum—editing JavaScript for interactivity, writing cookies for bookmarking course progress, styling with CSS, developing in Flash with ActionScript, and building logic-driven training using tools like Storyline. I have consistently adapted to new technologies and trends, building upon the foundation established early in my career. This combination of technical depth and creative execution has enabled me to contribute effectively across all phases of training and multimedia projects.