Dakota began his writing career at Chicago's "Second City". His sketches and skits soon became full length plays that reflect the simplicity of life's most common quandaries. His plays "Following Orion", "Abandon All Hope Mikey-Mike", and "Sunday in the South" have all won awards and recognition at the local Chattanooga Theatre Centre. He has also published a book of poetry and doodles for children and adults alike titled "Tidbits and Sundries: A Cutesy Patootsy Collection of Poems". As an actor, Dakota has appeared onstage and on film and radio as countless characters, narrators, and spokespersons. He lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee with his lovely wife Amanda.