During the summer of 2020, I made the decision to change my career path, leaving the social work field to begin a new journey with aspirations to become a Footwear Designer. This new journey led me to the Pensole Design Academy where my passion for art crafted a pathway into footwear design. My time studying design at Pensole awarded me a one year rotational apprenticeship with the VF Corporation that started in the summer of 2021 with Timberland. From my time with Timberland, then Vans, and now the The North Face, Altra, this has truly been an amazing journey. I hope to one day give back to my hometown of Richmond, Virginia by opening a footwear design academy that partners with my alma mater, Virginia Commonwealth University, giving Richmond residents who are passionate about design the same opportunities that were given to me.