From London to Hollywood

While at university, I discovered acoustical consulting was a lot more fun than noise control research. Having achieved some great milestones at acoustical firms in the UK, including winning my first expert witness case and leading a group of 10 acousticians, I sought a career at Salter for its excellent reputation. Salter is exactly what I had hoped for and is the best place I’ve ever worked. My specialty is adaptive re-use of buildings; some of my favorite and most challenging projects have been the conversion from one use to another.

After living in San Francisco for several years, I now live in Los Angeles, where I can walk my dogs on the beach or in the Hollywood hills. One of my favorite projects is a recently-completed home screening room for an Oscar-nominated film director. I worked closely with the architect to help meet the client’s aesthetic goals and make sure his nearby neighbors wouldn’t hear any sound from the studio. We designed the space with a mixture of wood and fabric paneling that looks great and sounds amazing. The neighbors can’t hear a thing. And I’m proud to say a Warner Bros. sound engineer said it’s the best home screening room he’s heard.

The Coach

Outside of work, my passions are rescuing dogs, fixing my vintage Honda motorcycle, and coaching an inclusive men’s rugby team. Rugby has been my main physical and social outlet since I was 11. I played until I was 36 and couldn’t anymore. Being a very vocal spectator, I resisted coaching at first. When my wife asked me to help coach at her rugby club, I soon got my coaching qualifications and find it incredibly rewarding. Coaching not only gives me a great deal of joy, it also allows me to give back to a sport that gave me so much. I’m still very vocal, but I’m working on being a bit calmer.