Early life and education

Szmanda was born in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, to Elaine (née Enders) and Donald Szmanda, and has two brothers, Brett and Rob. He attended Mukwonago High School and graduated at the age of nineteen from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, California. While he was in school, he began marketing internships with music conglomerate BMG and moved to Chicago, Illinois, to take a full-time job in the music business. His great-uncle Ray Szmanda is the "Menard's Guy," a local celebrity in the Midwest famous for his enthusiastic ads for Menard's hardware stores.

Career

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

In 2000, Szmanda began a recurring role in the CBS police drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in the first two seasons as Greg Sanders, a DNA technician and investigator, before being added to the main cast in the third season. He remained on the show until it ended after the fifteenth season in September 2015.

Activism

Szmanda supports the U.S. Campaign for Burma and traveled to Thailand to see the conditions of Burmese refugees who have fled their native country.

Filmography

• The Net (1998-1999) (TV) - Jacob "Sorcerer" Resh
• Dodge's City (1999) (TV) - Johnny Dodge
• Big Time (2000) - Avery
• Oh Baby (2000) (TV) - Brent
• Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane (2000) (TV) - Max
• 100 Girls (2000) - Sam/Computer Nerd
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000-2015) (TV) - Greg Sanders (335 episodes)
• FreakyLinks (2000) - Tunnel-dwelling bum
• True Vinyl (2000) - Billy Thompson
• Three Sisters (2001) (TV) - Dave
• The Division (2001) (TV) - Mark
• The Rules of Attraction (2002) - NYU Film Student
• Little Athens (2005) - Derek
• Snow Wonder (2005) (TV) - Luke
• Shadow of Fear (2012) (TV) - Det. Dominic Leary
• Dangerous Attraction
• Szmanda also appeared in Marilyn Manson's music video "(s)AINT".