I have always been passionate about teaching and filmmaking. My journey into the film industry began at 18 when I interned at Clever Films, an LA-based production company renowned for producing some of the most iconic music videos of the early 2000s, including those for Jay-Z, Dru Hill, The Black Eyed Peas, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. During my second summer at CSU Chico, I worked as a screenplay coverage writer for actor Ryan Reynolds. After earning a BA in Spanish, I moved to Guadalajara, Mexico, where I taught 2nd grade.
Upon returning to the US, I continued my work as a professional filmmaker, often serving as a sound recorder and production assistant on music videos, documentaries, and branded content films for companies such as MTV, Ray-Ban, Yours Truly, Vimeo, Pitchfork, Oakley, Amazon, and Reef. Between film projects, I stayed active in education, frequently substitute teaching K-12.
After 20 years of straddling entertainment and education, I decided to combine my passion for filmmaking and education by pursuing an MFA in Screenwriting at UC Riverside and working toward becoming a college instructor. As a graduate student, I taught for two years in the Film and Theatre Department at UCR and directed fourteen theatre productions and six short films. I also received mentorship from cinematographer Dean Cundey, ASC (Jurassic Park, Halloween, The Mandalorian) and screenwriter Stu Krieger (The Land Before Time, Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century). My academic work includes scholarship in Asian American cinema, horror, and race and gender representation in film. Since completing grad school I've retired from commercial work and focused on independent film projects while teaching courses at Napa Valley College, College of San Mateo, and Santa Rosa Junior College.
My social documentary work has garnered support from the National Association of Latino Independent Producers and Veterans Affairs, and I've received mentorship from HBO and PBS. My films have earned recognition at Sundance Labs, A3 Foundation, Cannes Short Films Corner, Dances With Films, Toronto International Film Festival, Legacy Film Festival on Aging, Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Filmfest, New York Latino Film Festival, and Oaxaca International Film Festival.
I am a fourth-generation Californian, with Cantonese roots in San Francisco's Chinatown and South Side Irish roots in Chicago. I identify as both Chinese American and Irish American. Beyond filmmaking, I channel my creativity into producing music and DJing under the alias The Bins. You can hear my music HERE!