Regular family outings to the movies, along with a healthy addiction to late-night monster and horror films, instilled the love of cinema in Stephen, and in 1992 he enrolled in the film program at Loyola Marymont University. He would graduate four years later with a Bachelor's of Arts degree, but not before a life-changing experience. In 1994, he studied drawing and photography at Studio Arts Center International in Florence, Italy. Being immersed in Italian culture and surrounded by some of the finest art to be created by man proved to be a defining time for both the artist and the young man.

Upon graduating from college, Stephen had turned his attention to animation, which in many ways combined his loves of drawing and cinema. In late 1996, he joined the animation crew for Fox's long-standing hit series "The Simpsons". The work environment on the show provided him with a second education as well as a paycheck, as he learned more about drawing and storytelling than ever before.

Six years later, Stephen is now an Assistant Director on "The Simpsons". He has also returned to Loyola Marymont as an instructor, teaching animation and film for the last four years. His work for The Disney Program with Collector's Editions bears many cinematic influences, a style born from the silver screen and poured onto canvas.