I was born the son of Lao refugees in Berkeley, California. Before I spoke my first words my family moved to Southern Oregon to open a doughnut shop. It wasn't long before I started working there. While the shop's nature as a family business made it forgiving, the food service industry has a reputation for a reason. By the time I graduated high school, I had almost a decade of customer service under my belt. 

In high school, I did a number of different clubs and activities. After becoming skilled at trumpet and French horn, I found my love, the baritone. With my trusty instrument at my side, I rose through the ranks to become the low brass section leader of the marching and symphonic band. I later decided to take up singing to broaden my musical knowledge. After an audition, I was accepted into the chamber choir where I sang the full range from tenor to bass. Not all of my pursuits were musical in nature. I competed on the state level for Impromptu in the National Forensic League and competed on the international level in DECA, acquiring a host of ribbons, medals, and trophies over the years. Finally, I became a member of the National Honor Society where I volunteered many hours to serve my community. 

After a brief stint at Southern Oregon University where I got my diving license, I decided to move to Portland to experience a change of pace. At Portland State University I mostly focused on my studies but never stopped looking for ways to acquire skills. Fortunately, I found work at PSU's material lab shortly after moving. The job taught me many things, constantly testing the limits of my creativity and design skills. In order to fulfill my duties as a technician, I became skilled at wood and metal working. I later became proficient in the use of laser cutters after I was transferred to the digital lab. 

In my senior year, I was finally able to take advertising focused classes. While I showed some skill in media planning, I really started to have fun in MKTG 442: Creative Campaigns. I remember on the first day of class the professor, Doug Lowell, proclaimed that the final half of the course would be a chaotic ordeal that many wouldn't like and that those that did might have a future in advertising. I loved that course. After that term, I applied to FIR Northwest, the school's student-run ad agency. FIR has so far been a challenging but rewarding experience. It's been great working with such fantastic and skilled people. Each day passes by like a whirlwind, but it feels like I've been there for ages. I hope the next stage of my life is even more exciting.