Beyond the Work

Some fun facts, unexpected detours, and stories collected along the way.

I've had a pretty interesting journey through television, entertainment, and media production. Along the way, I've met fascinating people, traveled to some incredible places, and found myself on more than a few unusual gigs that would be difficult to explain on a résumé. Here are a few things you might not know about me.

I've had a front-row seat to some memorable television moments.

I've worked on shows including American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Showbiz Tonight, D.L. Hughley Breaks the News, and Off Their Rockers with Betty White. I spent nearly a decade at CNN producing thousands of television segments covering entertainment, politics, and comedy. I learned to write fast, build rundowns, cut SOTs and VOs, and navigate the occasional chaos of live television. I also spent plenty of time in green rooms meeting interesting guests …. and occasionally getting a little starstruck.

I've called quite a few places home.

Born in Puerto Rico, I've lived in North Carolina, New York City, Connecticut, Vermont, Seattle, Miami, Madrid, Denver, and Los Angeles. I've also attended NYU, Seattle University, and the University of Miami. Apparently, staying in one place wasn't much of a priority as a youngster.

My career took a few unexpected turns.

I started out editing wedding videos and local commercials in New York before landing a production assistant job at Tornasol Media, an independent film production company in Madrid. Eventually, I decided to give journalism a shot. It runs in the family, and I figured graduate school in broadcast journalism might be a good way to combine my interests in production, news, and storytelling. That decision eventually took me to NBC in Miami, CNN in New York, and a whole collection of adventures I couldn't have anticipated.

I've had some wonderfully random jobs.

Before establishing my career in production and was in school, I worked as a country club snack bar attendant, valet, mailroom employee at an investment firm, entertainment publicist, Red Cross phone operator, and citizenship test instructor. My very first job was developing X-rays for a radiology practice when I was a teen. Not exactly a straight line to media production.

I'm a licensed drone pilot.

I love aerial cinematography and photography. There's something fascinating about seeing familiar places from an entirely different perspective. This was a hobby that turned into a nice-to-have skill for dozens of projects. In fact, at one point I was working on creating a drone company before I took a role with Spectrum. I hold an FAA commercial drone pilot certification and still bring my drone along on productions whenever the opportunity arises.

I make music, too.

I play guitar, write songs, and record original music. Rock stardom hasn't quite materialized, and I've come to accept that I may not be quite as talented as I once believed. But music has always been an important part of my life. I've also had opportunities to work with some incredibly talented musicians throughout my career, which has made for a few memorable experiences.

Volunteer Work.

I've volunteered with animal rescue organizations and fostered six dogs, all of whom eventually found permanent homes. I've also volunteered with the Boys & Girls Club and supported fundraising efforts for nonprofits, including a summer camp for children with serious illnesses. And yes, I'm still available for dog-sitting.

I like to stay active.

Skiing, snowboarding, surfing, basketball, and tennis are among my favorite ways to spend time away from a screen. I'm not claiming to be particularly good at all of them, but I enjoy trying.

I'm still curious about what's next.

Despite spending much of my career behind cameras and in edit bays, I'm still fascinated by the people, places, and stories on the other side of the lens. I can spend hours looking at great photography, watching beautifully produced films, or discovering something new that makes me want to pick up a camera or get into an edit. I'm always looking for interesting experiences, great stories, new places, and people I can learn something from. I suppose that's what got me into this business in the first place.