I’ve been doing design for close to two decades. As a would-be journalist in both high school and college, I loved writing, but I was also intrigued by the process of layout and page design. From the start, I learned the principle that good design is good communication. I enjoyed the challenge of coming up with design concepts that worked hand-in-hand with written ideas. Ever since then, design has always been something I’ve done on the side, or full time, professionally.

Going back to those beginnings and the very first things I learned, I think my fundamental design philosophy hasn’t changed much: good design should be functional and useful. Good design should help communicate and convey ideas, not get in the way or distract from the message.

In 1996, I went to work as a designer for Holland & Knight LLP and soon became manager of their in-house design team. In this role, I learned a great deal about managing design projects and personnel, working with teams, communicating with non-designers on their expectations for a project, training novice designers, and helping an organization move from traditional marketing to digital and web. Having been an integral part of multiple marketing campaigns and two site redesigns, I learned a lot about branding and establishing design consistency.

Around this same time, I started doing freelance design work for a variety of clients, everything from telecommunications companies, to embassies, to real estate developers, to an amateur golfer. I also worked as a freelance writer for several online publications, covering technology and the gaming industry. I also wrote a blog, crookdimwit.com, for nearly four years, which generated approximately nine zillion words on pop culture, politics, and random speculation.

In 2004, I was hired as the Online Production Manager for People for the American Way, when I helped design and build web sites to support political activism, promote special programs, and boost fundraising. I also created Flash-based cartoons and ads.

Currently, I’m the Art Director at the Center for American Progress, a think tank that advocates progressive policies and ideas. We’re in the process of redesigning many of our web products and are working up some exciting new projects for 2007.

I live on Capitol Hill with my beautiful wife Yvette, my daughter Isabella, and our goofy dog Ace. I might just be the luckiest guy in the world.