A not so brief history…

 Hailing from the multicultural oasis that is Southern California and cultivating his chops in the Metropolis of The West, Los Angeles, Mario's passion for aesthetics and storytelling began early. Raised with Erector sets and a parochial school education, he sought creative freedom through MTV, skate culture and street art. In the summer of 1995, with the guidance of a scout leader, he dismantled and reassembled his first PC, sparking a lifelong obsession with technology. Shortly after, his father brought home their first computer, launching Mario into the vast digital frontier, discovering a world of connection and possibility never before seen in history.

       As a teen he was surrounded by friends in bands and a DIY culture that enabled him to design flyers and tees for his network of creators. At St. John Bosco he began formal study of web development, setting the stage for a life dedicated to tinkering and building the Internet. His college years included fine art and design studies at Santa Monica College followed by a head first plunge into San Francisco’s vast, eccentric beauty by way of The Academy of Art University. Here his fascination with human-computer interaction came to life. During this period, he interned at Warner Bros., working on their core distribution platform, housing the full breadth of Warner Bros.’ global media catalog.

He began drawing clients in the music and action sports worlds, guiding bands and brands into the social era by way of web experiences, Myspace campaigns and digital transformations. Designing ERP systems and online communities by day, making and trading art by night, he was motivated by a goal of connecting people via mixed media. 

       Mario eventually felt the pull of Silicon Valley's magnetic tech industry and answered its call. First at Amazon's Lab126 working on revolutionary products like the Alexa powered Echo Show, FireTV Cube and their 3D smartphone, delivering UX solutions across numerous surfaces. Catching the startup bug, he was invited to join PAX Labs where he pioneered a connected ecosystem of tools and products for the cannabis industry. Shipping multiple products including mobile apps, wireless vaporizers, online stores, NFC machines and B2B tools. There was no shortage of momentum in building a tool kit of deep product knowledge and multi-modal design mastery. The projects and engagements that followed included designing experiences for consumer electronics companies, fintech startups and eventually led to multiple successful product launches with GoPro where a passion for an active lifestyle and his obsession with photography were married.

     A creative technologist with a body of work spanning consumer software, connected devices, and emerging platforms, Mario is equally at home in the swirl of lean, mission-fueled rhythm and the intricacy of the enterprise domain. He blends systems thinking, aesthetic sensitivity and narrative clarity to create products millions of people enjoy using. A lifelong learner who meticulously hones his craft, Mario is now focused on the next wave of innovation—AI interfaces, automation, voice first utilities and human-centered systems—partnering with ambitious teams to reimagine how we live, move and create. Deep thinking and collaborative he is driven by a simple ethos: build thoughtfully, live intentionally and always design with purpose.