In his hometown of Meadville PA, he is a member of the Board of Directors for Creating Landscapes Learning Centers, a non-profit organization that emphasizes aesthetic education through an elementary school, a community garden, and an afterschool program for families. His research interests include integrative arts and aesthetic behaviors in the study and practice of chanoyu and Japanese traditional culture. Other creative activities include raku ceramics, butoh dance, trumpet, organic gardening, and cooking. He completed his doctorate from The Ohio State University researching dissident group art.