What 30,000+ Hours Have Taught Me
Born in Upstate New York. Raised on animation, skateboarding, gaming, and the early internet. Moved to Florida in 2006 for design and business degrees at Full Sail University. Early opportunities at EA and ESPN shaped my approach to content, user experience, and branded storytelling. The 2008 recession and pandemic taught me that systems survive what talent alone does not.
Every role since has been about building repeatable success across digital strategy, operations, mentorship, and executive leadership. Today I live in downtown Minneapolis with my wonderful wife and deliver meaningful growth through Nathan Rafter Incorporated.
Nathan Rafter Incorporated
Chief Clarity Officer | 2005‐Present
Contributed to 500+ businesses and delivered 1,000+ projects including work for AskMethod, the Florida Department of Health, IBM, and Tupperware.
DLS Partners
Chief Digital Officer | 2017‐Present
Built and scaled digital programs across 15+ multifamily properties. 359% growth over baseline. 117% application increase.
Rider Academy
Senior Motorcycle Safety Instructor | 2025‐Present
Led safety training programs for 381 students across 36 courses with 91% success rate. 103 five‐star reviews.
SafeRide
Motorcycle Safety Instructor | 2023‐2025
Trained 999 students across 114 courses with a 91% pass rate. 152 five‐star reviews.
Build Our Tech
Digital Mentor | 2021‐2023
Designed and facilitated 8‐week Digital Marketing Certification courses. 56 professionals certified and 17 alumni mentored to their first $100 earned online.
Vergason Sojourner & McWaters
Creative Partner | 2020‐2021
White‐label creative direction and strategic oversight for powersports and eCommerce clients.
Hudson's Furniture
Chief Digital Officer | 2015‐2020
Led digital transformation across a 17‐location retailer recognized as HFA 2017 Retailer of the Year. Built acquisition funnels for 130K+ subscribers at 32% open rates. Launched eCommerce that increased online sales 18% in 90 days.
Next Horizon
Director Of Digital | 2018‐2019
41% productivity increase across 47 active client accounts. Introduced Scrum‐based workflows and mentored a team of 5 through 38 professional certifications and 2 industry award wins.
MerchBee
Product Manager | 2016
Led a 9‐person global team building third‐party Amazon seller communication and marketing tools. Empowered 40+ resellers to increase sales through 500K review requests and promotions.
Sykes Enterprises
Senior User Experience Lead | 2015
Pioneered the Sykes At Home platform as sole UX designer, enabling 45,000+ remote agents globally. Led a 15‐person distributed development team and contributed to an AI sentiment model that expedited escalations and managed agent fatigue.
Performance‐Oriented Living
- Currently riding a full track season on a race prepped KTM RC 390 motorcycle.
- Competed semi-professionally in Halo before esports had a name.
- Have performed stand-up comedy at the iconic Orlando Improv 4 times.
- Married to my favorite person for 11 years and counting.
