The road so far.
It starts in my family's restaurant and runs through a university help desk, two internships and a company of my own. Each stop led to the next.
It started in restaurants.
I grew up in food service. I started as a busser and food runner in my family's restaurant and have worked front of house ever since, at private clubs and catered events, alongside school. I still do today. These jobs sit apart from my professional experience, but they are where my professionalism comes from.
Aug. 2017 - Aug. 2021
Obsessed Kitchen and Bar
Busser and Runner, Oak Park, IL
My family's restaurant, and my first job.
- Ran food from kitchen to table, making sure dishes arrived hot, accurate, and on time.
- Supported servers by refilling beverages, pre-bussing tables, and stocking stations.
Jan. 2020 - Mar. 2023
Blue Plate Catering
Event Staff and Server, Chicago, IL
- Worked food prep and on-site service for high-profile clients at 10+ venues across Chicago.
- Adapted quickly to a different culinary setup at every event, cutting setup time through efficient preparation.
Apr. 2021 - Aug. 2024
Knollwood Club
Server, Lake Forest, IL
- Provided attentive table service to club members, building rapport with regulars and anticipating their preferences.
- Managed sections during peak dinner service, coordinating with the kitchen and bar on well-timed courses.
- Kept a thorough knowledge of the seasonal menu, wine list, and specials to guide member selections.
May 2025 - May 2026
La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club
Server, San Diego, CA
- Recognized as one of the club's top-performing and most trusted food runners.
- Known for speed, accuracy, and reliability as a server and runner.
Sept. 2026 - Present
Riverwalk Golf Club
Banquet Server, San Diego, CA
Where I work now, serving banquets and events at the club.
What those years built
- Work ethicObsessed Kitchen and Bar
- I started at the bottom, running food and bussing tables in my family's restaurant. Learning service from the ground up taught me to do the unglamorous work properly, and I have carried that into every role since.
- AdaptabilityBlue Plate Catering
- Catering meant a new venue and a new setup at every event. I got used to walking into an unfamiliar room, working out what was needed, and getting on with it.
- PatienceKnollwood Club
- A full section at peak dinner service does not move faster because you are stressed. I learned to stay calm, pay attention to each member, and keep a step ahead of what they would ask for.
- ReliabilityLa Jolla Beach and Tennis Club
- I was recognized as one of the club's most trusted food runners. Being the person a team can count on, every shift, is something I take seriously.
Then into business.
Everything since has been built on those habits. A campus job led to two internships, and the internships led to starting a company. Here is how each one connected to the next.
Jan. 2024 - Jan. 2025
SDSU Instructional Technology Services
Student Assistant, San Diego, CA
My first job outside a restaurant was still a service job. The guests were faculty and students, and what I served was technology.
- Resolved hardware, software, and platform issues for 200+ faculty and students per semester.
- Supported the ITS AI team, helping faculty and students get started with generative AI tools and platforms.
- Built working relationships with faculty and staff that made the IT team more responsive.
Supporting the AI team got me working hands-on with generative AI, the same kind of tools I later built Downpour Digital on.
May 2024 - Aug. 2024
Harlem Irving Companies
Real Estate Intern, Norridge, IL
My first internship, and my first look at how a company runs from the inside.
- Built a preventive maintenance tracker for 15+ commercial properties so managers could see every task's status.
- Organized COIs, budgets, and lease documents for executive leadership across a portfolio valued over $150M.
- Worked with property managers to tighten communication and shorten tenant issue resolution time.
The lesson I kept: when everyone can see the same information, problems get solved faster. I took that straight into my next internship.
Jan. 2025 - Apr. 2025
Mercer Advisors
Wealth Management Intern, San Diego, CA
A second internship, this time in wealth management, working alongside advisors and their clients.
- Analyzed client data in Power BI, Excel, and Salesforce to improve reporting for 10+ advisors ($500M+ AUM).
- Restructured digital filing for 1,000+ client accounts, cutting the time advisors spent searching for files.
- Partnered with advisors on client follow-ups, contributing to higher client satisfaction scores.
Better reporting and cleaner files gave advisors more time with clients. It showed me how much of good client service happens behind the scenes.
July 2026 - Present
Downpour Digital
Founder & CEO, San Diego, CA
Where the road comes together. I started Downpour Digital to take small-business owners from a first conversation to a launched website.
- Convert small-business owners' needs into scoped, priced website builds, from first draft to launch.
- Build client sites and AI-generated lead lists with Claude and ChatGPT to prioritize outreach.
- Track planned vs. actual spending in Excel to measure the business against plan.
Every earlier stop shows up here: the service habits from restaurants, the AI tools from ITS, the organization from Harlem Irving, and the client focus from Mercer, now in a business of my own.
Next stop
Still open.
I'm looking for a role in business development, growth strategy, or consulting where I can put all of this to work.
Get in touch
Campus involvement and leadership
Aug. 2023 - Present
International Business Society
Executive Vice President, San Diego State University
- Grew active membership from 5 to 30 in two semesters through networking and outreach.
- Led weekly and executive board meetings and organized 15+ professional workshops and events.
Aug. 2022 - May 2025
Tau Kappa Epsilon
Vice President, Social Chair, Alumni & Media Manager, San Diego State University
- Helped grow the chapter from 30 to 200+ members as it became the number one TKE chapter in the nation.
Dec. 2024 - May 2025
SDSU Interfraternity Council
Vice President of Programming, San Diego State University
- Planned and ran 5+ leadership events in one semester for 600+ IFC-affiliated students.
Graduate coursework and projects
I'm currently in the M.S. in Global Business Development program (MSGBD) at San Diego State, taking high-level graduate business courses that are building my skills in:
- Strategy
- International finance
- Sales management
- International marketing
- Business development
- Market analysis
Most of my cohort are experienced business professionals with long-standing careers. I have far less experience than they do, and I'm holding my own alongside them and still leading, including the team that took first place with Cover.
4+1
I'm one of the few people in my cohort in the 4+1 program, an accelerated path into the MSGBD that only the top students in the International Business class are accepted to.
Spring 2026
Cover
CEO and team lead, Strategic Thinking (BA 676)
- Led a four-person team through a full strategy plan for a hospitality app, and took first place out of the entire cohort.
Fall 2026
Defined Bioscience
Graduate Consultant, Seminar in World Business
- Researched market opportunity, switching costs and trade policy for a stem cell media company weighing expansion into Japan.
Education
M.S., Global Business Development
San Diego State University
Expected Aug. 2027
- 4+1 accelerated program
- Graduate coursework in strategy, international finance, sales management, international marketing, business development and market analysis
B.A., International Business: Asia Pacific and China
San Diego State University, Fowler College of Business
- GPA 3.65, Magna Cum Laude, Dean's List
- National Chinese Honors Society
- Study abroad in Taiwan
- Coursework: International Finance, Doing Business Internationally, Sales Management, Managerial Marketing