Curriculum Vitae

Summary

I began my career in IT first building/upgrading computers in high school out of a cost necessity, and later discovering a love of programming in college. After college, I worked in Training and Development at Cape Fear Valley Health. I was involved in all aspects of online training - writing the system that was used for a decade, running the server and ongoing maintenance, copy editing, providing support, and whatever else was needed. I wasn’t just behind the computer — I was also teaching CPR, portions of ACLS and PALS, and Nonviolent Crisis Intervention. During college and beyond I also did photography, repair work, and roadie work for a local Christian Rock band - Jesus Joshua 24:15. After leaving the hospital, I took a working sabbatical at Music & Arts Retail. I took some classes to fill in a few missing spots in my guitar repair repertoire. From there I moved into the Repair Shop side of Music & Arts until I needed to relocate - my stepfather unexpectedly passed away and my mother needed help.

One throughline in every job, every role, every company is that I’m a lifelong learner. I am constantly seeking to expand my knowledge. I love sharing what I know too. Each project is another opportunity to grow and share what I have learned.

Experience

Stringed Instrument Repair Technician

Music & Arts — Sep 2017 – Nov 2025

I started on the Retail side as part of a “working sabbatical”, where I assisted the manager in improving inventory management, updating computer assets, and whatever else was needed in addition to sales responsibilities.

In 2019 or so I transferred from the Charlotte Retail store to the Charlotte Repair Shop, where I detailed and inspected various instruments for return to the retail stores to be rented again.

In 2020 I transferred to the Burlington Repair Shop and my role as a Stringed Instrument Repair Technician. Mostly I repaired and refurbished Repair and refurbish violins, violas, cellos, double basses. I also worked on guitars, mandolins, ukuleles, and the occasional banjo setup.

Computer-Based Training Developer

Cape Fear Valley Health System — Dec 2003 – Dec 2017

For 14 years I worked in the Training and Development Department of a large health system (~6,000 employees) as an IT “jack of all trades.”

When I started at Cape Fear Valley, I wrote the online training system we used. Until a decision was made to switch systems, I maintained and enhanced that system.

As an IT worker in the education department, I had an interesting mix of challenges and freedoms. While I did not have access to all the tools and services available to the hospital IT staff, I had a lot of freedom in implementing whatever needed to be written to solve the task at hand.

My official title was “Computer-Based Training Developer,” and my job encompassed:

Programming new features for the CMS used to manage online, classroom, and hybrid education.
Performing CMS maintenance.
UI design.
Database administration duties.
Server administration duties.
Testing.
Providing technical support for the system.
Performing editorial and publishing duties for educational content.
Tackling any other job that came with running the system.
Teaching classes including Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, CPR, ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support), and PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support).

Lead Lifeguard, Assistant Swim Coach

Fayetteville YMCA — 2001 – Dec 2003

In looking for a job with hours better suited to returning to school, I returned to lifeguarding — this time at the Fayetteville YMCA, where I:

Taught Lifeguarding, First Aid, and CPR classes.
Taught all levels of the Swim America program.
Earned a Level II Coaching License.

I also acquired several other roles and certifications, including:

Swim America Site Supervisor.
Lead Lifeguard.
American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor.
Assistant Swim Coach for the AACY Swim Team and Cumberland County High Schools.
Certified Pool and Spa Operator’s License.

Quilting Machine Operator, Order Fulfillment

Jackson Mattress Company — 2000 – 2001

During my year-long semester off, I worked at Jackson Mattress Company. In my short time there, I learned many skills and was:

Cross-trained on three types of quilting machines.
Responsible for loading trailers for the warehouse.
Implemented the electronic barcode system for the warehouse.

Education

Guitar Repair Courses
Colorado Institute of Musical Instrument Technology (CIOMIT) Jan – Mar 2020

Coursework included setup, structural repair, basic electronics, and finish care for electric and acoustic guitars.

A.A.S. Computer Programming
Fayetteville Technical Community College 1999-2000, 2001–2003

After switching to Network Administration from the “I’m not sure what I’m doing” degree program, I found my home after taking the required Intro to Programming class. It was that semester I switched to Computer Programming (and the short-lived Media Integration Technology program).

My class project for Database Design and Programming was adopted by the Aquatics Department at the YMCA where I worked to track employee training, certification, and other records of note (e.g., write-ups, verbal warnings, and positive notes).

Last updated: 2025-11