Q: Can you describe what a typical day as a part of the engineering team looks like?
A: Never like the last day! Morning discussions are typically followed with actionable items. With the vast amount of audio visual (AV) systems on campus there are sometimes AV “emergencies” we must attend to. But a typical day includes a little bit of just about everything. Designing the systems of the future, testing new components and new software, managing the campus-wide wireless microphone network, managing equipment logistics, and designing audio systems are all tasks that could be the focus of any given day.
Q: What was a memorable project (or projects) you worked on?
A: Designing and managing the Radio Frequency (RF) network on Central Campus was my most memorable project. It’s one that began before I was with Engineering as an operations AV technician. I noticed engineering at the time was installing A LOT of new wireless microphones and suspected, in hindsight correctly, that there might be issues when all of them were turned on simultaneously. With the help of about 7 people, we were able to change the frequencies of all 490 microphones on campus to create a stable, adjustable RF coordination.
Q: What has your career path looked like and how did it influence your current position and work?
A: My career path has most certainly been a rollercoaster! After getting a degree in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) from Grand Valley, I worked in environmental research for about 5 years utilizing radar satellites to identify invasive plant species in the Great Lakes Wetlands. After that, I got rid of the desk and began a career in live audio engineering. Over the course of the next 10 years, I worked in various forms of production learning the skills that led me here.
Q: Outside of work what would we find you doing?
A: Outside of work, you can usually find me at Outer Limits Lounge in Detroit. I run a little DIY recording studio out of the space above the music venue where I record and mix records for the label the bar runs.
Q: What is something that people might be surprised to learn about you?
A: I have gone to the Indianapolis 500 twenty-five times in my life!
