I’m Francis, a San Diego native who grew up with a strong sense of discipline and drive thanks to my dad, a Navy veteran. Those early lessons shaped how I approach everything in life—with grit, curiosity, and heart.

From a young age, creativity came naturally to me. My parents encouraged my artistic side, believing it could one day become more than a hobby—and they were right. Through middle and high school, I threw myself into leadership and the arts, serving as Secretary of Associated Student Government, President of both Pan Asian American and Filipino clubs, JV Volleyball Captain, and Director of three dance teams. I loved bringing people together through creativity and collaboration—a theme that’s defined my path ever since.

At the University of California, Irvine, I studied Studio Art and Business Management, blending creativity with strategy. It was there that I discovered video production, where I learned how to turn ideas into stories that connect.

After college, I taught myself graphic design, which led to an internship at a personality-sorting startup. I quickly became a key part of the team—creating content, designing campaigns, and helping shape the brand’s voice. That experience opened the door to an exciting opportunity at a startup marketing agency, where I helped build and lead the Amazon Creative service line from the ground up. As the agency grew, so did I—eventually stepping into a Creative Director role overseeing a talented team of designers and strategists.

Recently, I’ve expanded into the content creation space, partnering with brands and developing my own digital presence. My collaboration with Cozy Earth for their Bed Rot Challenge was the moment I took content creation seriously—it sparked my passion for producing meaningful, personality-driven content and deepened my understanding of what makes social storytelling resonate.

My passion project is my own venture, Nearist, a friend-making app that lets users showcase their personality with fully customizable profiles, connect with people nearby based on interests and demographics, and then browse curated, interest-based events and activities to grow their friendships in the real-world.

My journey has always been about blending passion and practicality—using creativity not just to make things beautiful, but to make them work.