My name is Phetkhanya or less intimidatingly, Pecan, or more simply, Phet. I am a visual communications specialist, one that loves being in situations that allow expression through creativity, regardless of medium. Reason over raw emotion is how I believe problems are solved and that is precisely how I conduct myself no matter how intense a situation becomes. On a professional level, I thrive in environments that fully embrace creative input while also being given the chance to utilize my skillset to bring ideas to life. On a personal level, I am a devoted family man, a loving husband and a caring girl dad of two, soon to be three. My inspiration and drive come from the light that shimmer in the eyes of my girls and they are exactly what propel me to strive to achieve the highest level of success, not only on a professional level but in the greater game of life. Many individuals describe themselves as being self-motivated but I would describe myself as being family-motivated. It’s easy to be driven by your own wants and needs but it’s another thing to put it all on the line for the ones you care for
My story began in Vientiane, Laos where I was born. My family fled the lesser-known Southeast Asian country when I was three. We spent the next few years in a refugee camp in Thailand waiting to be relocated to more ideal situation. We arrived in the US in 1991. I was seven years old. Since then we have made Colorado our permanent home. Colorado just feels like home. It seems like wherever any member of our family go we always end back up in the Centennial State. This has been true for me as well. I spent the last decade of my life in Asia, mostly Laos, but ended up back in Colorado not long ago to begin a new chapter in my life — in a familiar setting with a family of my own.
Colorado is where I spent my childhood and young adult life. After high school, I attended Westwood College in Denver where I initially got an associate’s degree in Graphic Design and Multimedia before a childhood medical condition reared its ugly head and forced me to put my life on hold to deal with the physical and subsequent mental toll. As a child I suffered from a condition called scoliosis, which is an inexplicable curvation of the spine, the cause of which is unknown to medical science. For better or for worse this condition defined me. A younger me hated it because of all the self-esteem issues and social awkwardness it caused but the older me has grown to accept it for what it is — something totally out of my control. Looking back at the non-idyllic path it forced me to take, I’ve come to accept it as somewhat of a godsend — call it fate, call it destiny… whatever. But I’m the person I am today because of it. I have a beautiful and loving wife and two adorable daughters that I cannot live without. Sure, I had a later start in life than most people so I haven’t found the success in life that perhaps people my age might have already found, but I have no regrets and would not change a thing about how my life has turned out. Now I’m just focused on finding success for the family that I love so dearly.
I have previously worked as the Art and Marketing Director at Elephant Village Sanctuary and Resort in beautiful Luang Prabang, Laos. During my seven years at this position, my responsibilities included but was certainly not limited to general graphic design, taking photos, shooting and editing videos, planning and implementing marketing strategies, maintaining website and social media accounts, managing public relations, and much, much more. I had the opportunity to lead numerous projects, including establishing the first elephant museum in Laos, improving elephant welfare standards for camp elephants, creating interesting new tour itineraries that focused on education, meeting with travel company general managers to discuss partnerships and more.