DONBIES

My career is rooted in meticulous design and project management. I began as a mechanical designer on the Academy Award-winning film THE FLY and its sequel THE FLY II. My work with Lucasfilm involved managing the remote control Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2) for personal appearances and commercials, while also overseeing the Lucasfilm Archives as curator. In this role, I organized multiple high-profile exhibitions and character appearances, managed talent and streamlined the archival processes.

At Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), I played a pivotal role on major projects including INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE, GHOSTBUSTERS II and GALAXY QUEST, among others. As a supervising model maker, I managed complex tasks and large budgets across notable productions like the STAR WARS Special Editions, the STAR WARS Prequels, and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN. My leadership extended through the transformation of the ILM Model Shop into Kerner Optical in 2006, where I continued to spearhead projects.

In 2009, I founded White Room Artifacts, LLC, where I led the design and curation of the acclaimed NASA: A Human Adventure European traveling exhibition. I also managed a variety of commercial projects for clients including Disney, Frito-Lay, Microsoft, and Google, providing end-to-end solutions from conceptual design to final execution. My role also involved developing proposals and conceptual designs for prominent clients such as Lucasfilm and Discovery Channel.

I was the co-producer and editor on the award winning short film "KEEP THE GASLIGHT BURNING", created in partnership with the Academy Award winning team of Dave and Lou Elsey of IGOR Studios.

From December 2014 until July 2024, I worked at Tactical Medical Solutions, Inc. as a mechanical, product, and conceptual designer. While there, I oversaw the creation of advanced trauma training manikins for military and emergency responders, delivering highly realistic training tools while under tight budget demands and schedules. Additionally, I managed product photography, video production, and graphic design services.

In 2020, I became a founding member and first president of the Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation, which honors Grant’s legacy by fostering talent and supporting education in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. Its mission is to inspire and empower historically marginalized youth in STEM fields.