After high school I really wanted to get out of Key West for college. I think this was fueled more so by a fear of being the only one of my friends left in Key West when everyone else left. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do but had a hard time imagining that I would live anywhere except Key West when I grew up. I didn’t know what I was doing when I left but looking back on it I am grateful that I took that leap of faith into the unknown.

I switched into the IT major that I ended up graduating with based on one premise. I was not passionate per say about development, I honestly knew hardly anything about it. What drove me into this major and now career path was the dream of being fully remote. I was inspired by a sailor that I saw on Instagram. He was travelling around the world on his sailboat, spearfishing, surfing, and meeting new people while traveling to beautiful destinations. I was so inspired by him and I wanted to do the same, that has been my dream for the past 4 years now.

My senior year I realized how behind the game I was in terms of internships and work experience. In the fall semester of my senior year I probably applied to between 30-50 internships, I was rejected from them all. I was almost giving up when my professor recommended me for a software engineering internship, and finally I got it. I thought I would stay and work for that company in a cubicle in Tallahassee until a few months in the reality set in that I was meant for more.

I was born and raised in Key West, Florida. I spent my childhood exploring every street on the island on bikes with my friends. Finding new fishing spots, mango trees, and places to try flips into the water I was spoiled with this life of outdoor adventure that has fueled the person that I am today.

I got into spearfishing when I was around 15 years old and that quickly took a hold on me as my favorite hobby. I was always looking forward to the next calm day that I could get out on the boat with my friends and find that bigger fish. As time progressed my skills here developed.

Within the last year I have gotten into surfing while travelling and have had 3 trips around surfing in the last 14 months, even more recently I have gotten into kiteboarding. I recently was able to get up for the first time and I bought my first kite.

90% of my passions and interests throughout my life have been centered around the ocean. My childhood in Key West has definitely been defining in what I value and what I want out of this life.