About

Almost 17 years to the day from my fixed-wing checkride, I took my first helicopter lesson. Flying a helicopter is a very humbling experience - but great fun! It’s also terribly expensive. Go to the "Aviation" page to see some cool videos and photos!

Architectural Lighting Design,
Lighting Controls Training,
Speaking and Writing,
Professional Organizations

  • Lighting controls training – For the past 15 years, I’ve created and taught many hands-on classes about lighting controls.  Since 2012, I’ve taught classes exclusively focused on Networked Lighting Control (NLC) and Luminaire Level Lighting Control (LLLC) systems.  Read more about that here.
  • Architectural lighting design – My original focus was on architectural lighting design.  I completed 200 projects throughout the U.S. and internationally, working on many different project types.  See the Work page for more details.
  • Manufacturing – Starting in the mid-1990s, I switched gears and worked for legacy lighting manufacturers such as Edison Price, Lightolier and Holophane.
  • Resident lighting expert – I moved to San Francisco in 2008 to become the resident lighting expert at the Pacific Energy Center. Then I returned to life as an independent consultant.  I’ve focused on lighting and controls education ever since.
  • Teaching – I’ve taught architectural lighting design and controls for 40 years – first in colleges and universities, and more recently for practicing professionals.
  • Conferences – I’ve given presentations and taught classes at conferences in the U.S., such as LightFair.  I’ve also given presentations on lighting around the world – for example, in China, as well as speaking at the Lux Pacifica conference in New Delhi, India.
  • Writing – I have written extensively about lighting and lighting controls topics for many years.  See the List of External Blog Posts page for links to many articles I’ve written.
  • Professional lighting organizations – I’ve had many leadership roles in lighting organizations such as the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES).

Academic Background, Teaching,

Professional Affiliations and Activities,

Public Speaking, Awards

Academic/Teaching/Public Speaking:

Parsons School of Design, New York, New York

BFA program in the Environmental Design department – studying architecture, urban design, product design, interiors and lighting

1978-1982

Parsons School of Design, New York, New York

Adjunct professor of lighting design

1985–1987, 1989–1991, 1998

MA in Lighting Design senior studio instructor, 2002

Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania

Guest lecturer

May 1993

New York School of Interior Design, New York, New York

Adjunct instructor of lighting design

1991–1992, 2000–2003

University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, Connecticut

Adjunct instructor of lighting design

1991

Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, New York

Adjunct instructor of lighting design

1984–1986

Pacific Energy Center, San Francisco, CA

Instructor of recurring classes on lighting and controls

2016-2022

 Lighting Controls – Not Rocket Science

Seminar for Xcel Energy, Minneapolis, Minnesota

April 2022

 Avoiding NLC Deployment Pitfalls

Webinar for IES/Honolulu section

July 2021

Intermediate Lighting Controls Training

Webinar for Consumers Energy, Michigan

June 2021

 Avoiding NLC Deployment Pitfalls

Webinar for IES/Vancouver section

April 2021

Networked Lighting Control Systems

Webinar for Sacramento Municipal Utility District

November 2020

Zoning, Codes, Documentation – Oh My!”

Seminar for IES/Vancouver section

November 2019

Networked Lighting Control Systems

Webinar for Illuminating Engineering Society North America

April 18, 2019

2nd Hawai’i Energy Innovation Symposium, Waikiki, Hawaii

Seminar – “Networked Lighting Controls”

April 17, 2019

Lighting Design Tools and Lighting Software

Instructor of full-day class in Honolulu, Hawaii, run by IES/Honolulu section

February 2019

Inaugural Hawai’i Energy Innovation Symposium, Waikiki, Hawaii

Seminars – “How and Why DIY” and “Lighting Expert Guide”

April 2018

Washington state

Approved instructor for classes on Advanced Lighting Control Systems Training

September 2017

Advanced Lighting Controls

Seminar for Ameren Illinois Business Symposium, Springfield, Illinois

June 2017

Advanced Lighting Control Systems Training

DesignLights Consortium

Instructor of full-day class for electrical contractors (classes taught in Boise, ID; Detroit, Troy, Okemos and Grand Rapids, MI; San Francisco and Sacramento, CA; Portland, OR; Boston and Norwood, MA; New York, NY; Berlin and North Haven, CT; Everett, Tacoma and Kennewick, WA; Milwaukee, Eau Claire and Green Bay, WI).  Course development and administration sponsored by DesignLights Consortium.  Classes in the northwest have been sponsored by Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, Idaho Power and Snohomish PUD.

2017-2022

LightFair International

Repeat speaker/workshop instructor – courses/workshops include photometrics, lighting software, lighting control systems

1992, 2007-2013, 2016, 2017, 2020  

Clarifying Confounding Control Confusion: The Do’s and Don’ts of Lighting Controls and Systems

Seminar for Designers Lighting Forum/LA, Long Beach, California

February 2017

Lighting Controls

Seminar for National Association of Innovative Lighting Distributors, San Antonio, Texas

April 2016

Daylighting

Seminar presented at the NFMT HPB (National Facilities Management & Technology High Performance Buildings) conference, Ft. Worth, Texas

June 2015

“Lighting control systems”

Webinar – Trade Press Publications

June 2015

CONTROL THIS!

Half-day hands-on workshop for lighting control systems, IES/New York Section, New York, New York

October 2011 

Department of Energy Lighting For Tomorrow (competition)

Judge

2011 

IES Illumination Awards

Judge

2010

IES/New York Section “Lumen Awards”

Judge

2004

IES/Northeast Region IIDA awards

Judge

2004

Lux Pacifica, New Delhi, India

Invited speaker

September 2002

Architectural association, Chennai, India

Invited speaker

September 2002

Electrical Consultants Association, Bangalore, India

Invited speaker

September 2002

IES/New York Section

Committee chairperson

1999-2001

IES/New York Section

Instructor for IES ED-100 and ED-150 level classes in lamps, luminaires, and lighting calculations

1999-2001

“Energy Saving Lighting”

Instructor of an American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) CEU course at LightFair International, New York, New York

June 1992

American Institute of Architects (AIA) Subcommittee on Health Care

Invited speaker

1986

Professional affiliations and activities:

Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA)

Member

1982-present

National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professions

Item Writer for LC (Lighting Certified) exam

2011-present

IESNA/Northeast Region

Regional Vice President

2007-2008

American Institute of Architects

Registered Provider for lighting classes to architects and engineers

2003-2008

IESNA Energy Management Committee

Committee member – jointly with the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers, the Energy Management Committee rewrites national energy codes (ASHRAE 90.1)

1991-2015

IESNA Quality of the Visual Environment Committee

Member

1995-2015 

IESNA Educational Materials Committee

Committee chairperson, 2002

Committee member, 2000-2002

LightFair Conference Advisory Committee

2002

International Association of Lighting Designers

Corporate member

1984-1997

 IESNA/Northeast Region Education Committee

Chairperson

2000-2007

IESNA/New York Section

Education committee chairperson

July 1999-June 2001

Lighting Industry Resource Council (IALD adjunct group)

Intern Program Administrator

1997

Building Operating Management

Contributing editor

1994-1996

Environmental Protection Agency

Green Lights Program Surveyor Ally

Awards:

Electric Power Research Institute Award

Rutgers University/Brower Commons in New Brunswick, NJ (based on energy reduction of 70% from a custom fixture)

1993

 

International Association of Lighting Designers Award

Palm House in Oakdale, Long Island, NY

1986