What is your job? Where do you work?
I’m an Assistant Professor, in the Department of Art, at Cal State L.A. We are situated on a hilltop campus, overlooking the San Gabriel Mountains, five miles from Downtown L.A. My office has a view of the side of a building.

What are you currently working on?
I’m exploring ways to generate curiosity.

What do you like most about what you do? What do you dislike most?
I truly enjoy opening minds, stimulating thought and facilitating greater consciousness of the people that come across my path.

How do you balance your life between work and non-work? Or, what do you do in your spare time?
Chris Matthews, Keith Olberman and College Basketball occupy my spare time. That and food with friends.

What is your worst client experience?
I’ve been very lucky to have had (mostly) great clients.

What is the most valuable thing you learned in school (or your career)?
If people enjoy your company, they’re more likely to want to work with/for you.

What are you currently listening to?
Magnetic Fields, the band, not the phenomena. You can find my recent listening history on my facebook page.

What are you currently reading?
Nicholas Spark’s Message in a Bottle and Kevin Starr’s California: A History.

What’s the strangest project you’ve ever done?
This was a real-life, class project. We were asked to brand the gateway to a city (which will remain nameless...) by creating a visual demarcation, utilizing only paint, on the surface of a train underpass, through which a main thoroughfare to the city, approached the city. True Story.

What product or gadget strikes your fancy?
I currently have iPhone envy.

How long have you been a member of the AIGA, why did you join and what do you get out of your membership?
I first joined AIGA in 1987, as a student, and was affiliated with the Boston Chapter. After a move to San Francisco, I was affiliated with that chapter for some time. Now in Los Angeles, I’m intimately involved with the chapter here. It’s only since I began teaching, that I became active in the chapter. It’s a much richer experience to participate, rather than to attend.

As an educator in a University setting, my participation in chapter committees allows me to build community with other design educators, and share valuable experiences. The synergistic phenomena of working with others in similar situations, really charges my teaching with an energy and enthusiasm that might not be as great, were I not connected to others through AIGA.

What are your favorite websites?
Did I mention Facebook?
NYT.com

Do have your own website?
Yeah, sort of. It’s more of a holding bin for digital files, and a “false-front� for my variety of interests. I guess you could call it a page, rather than a site.

Are you currently looking for work or projects and why should a potential employer or client that is reading this contact you?
I’m always seeking meaty projects on which I can collaborate with my students.

Do you have anything to add or information to share with other designers?
Don’t let fear keep you from participating in your design community. We need you.