Since graduating from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 1999, Derek has worked in television, video, and live performance production. He began his career as the lighting director at the Alabama Theatre in North Myrtle Beach, SC, where he designed and operated lighting for legendary country acts including Alabama, George Jones, and Loretta Lynn among others. Soon after, he went out to sea as a Lighting and Sound Technician for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines where he visited 22 ports in ten countries in six months.
Following his time at sea, Derek entered the world of television and film production. He acted as First Assistant Director on three feature films including The Foot Fist Way which premiered at Sundance Film Festival. Over the next 11 years, he acted as producer and production manager on over 20 broadcast television shows including Discovery’s Alaska: The Last Frontier, HGTV’s Kitchen Cousins, and truTV’s Barmageddon. Since 2015, Derek has created unique branded short-form video content for companies ranging from the golf product Range Gripper to the reclaimed wood business Real Antique Wood.
After 8 years in New York and New Jersey, Derek has returned to Charlotte, NC with his wife, dog, and cat. He enjoys traveling and hiking and hopes to someday complete the Appalachian Trail.
