A love of learning naturally brought me to teaching, but it wasn’t a straight line. I started off as a student journalist and graphic designer at a small liberal arts school in north Texas. Working in news media was my first introduction to the concept of filling every role within an organization as necessary; I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed both making a news spread layout and interviewing a university President. 

Moving from designer to editor in chief gave me the self-confidence that allowed me to chase a bigger dream – moving abroad. The time I spent living and studying in Cambridge, England remains a high point for me, and I’m proud of my graphic design degree which has proved indispensable ever since.

Moving home, I pivoted back to the comfort and intellectual purity of academics, earning another degree in history and English. (If you’re wondering, yes – I did take as many classes as I could on Russian history.) Here, I felt ready to embark on another great adventure: teaching.

I’d been a tutor and teacher for pre-college and graduate students while finishing my degree, but entering public education was its own beast, and I’ve loved the ride. I’ve taught all sorts of subjects from English to test preparation to college and career readiness. It isn’t about the content for me, as I will happily learn a new subject matter when given the chance. For me, teaching is about relationships. In any content area or age level, my goal is to earn a learner’s trust, help them set a personal goal, and empower them to reach it. Then set another goal. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Teaching is the ultimate test of one’s ability to project manage, innovate, and serve others. In education, I discovered that I loved designing effective and engaging learning, so I’m excited to finish my master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction in 2022. I’m also translating my project management experience via Coursera’s Project Management Academy. And for fun (because why not) I’m brushing up on my managerial and financial accounting chops.