About Me

For a kid who was a handful in the classroom, it's ironic that I never really left school. I was constantly lost in class, I challenged my teachers, and was in trouble a lot. 

I decided to become a teacher because of the inspiring teachers who took me on and made learning come alive. I wanted to help kids like me, and I fell in love with the profession at 22-years-old when I taught my first class. In the more than 25 years since, I have been a teacher, school administrator, district administrator, and have earned a doctoral degree in educational leadership.

While I've never regretted becoming an educator, I have struggled to stay in the profession because of the constant demands put upon us. What keeps me going are educators themselves and the students we serve. I am so inspired by the dedication, ingenuity, creativity, and pure heart that educators bring to work every day.

I also know that it often feels like an uphill battle. Because schools are embedded in communities, the challenges we have in school are a direct reflection of those in the larger world. This means that educating our youth is a dynamic process, requiring educators to adjust and adapt rapidly. The pandemic brought this reality to our doorsteps in a significant way.

While the demands on educators continue to rise, our system has not changed significantly in almost 150 years. After decades of working to change the system, I have come to believe that change starts from the inside-out.

​I empower educators to prioritize their well-being and to develop their emotional intelligence. Research shows that when educators are better resourced, they automatically change what learning looks like and feels like in the classroom. Win-win!

I believe that...

• Equity, inclusion, and disrupting the impact of white supremacy are the most pressing needs in education.
• Educators know how to transform our system, and they should be given the voice to lead those changes.
• Schools have a powerful influence on our society and the future of this country. We should invest accordingly.
• Educators are rock stars and deserve to feel resourced, supported, and seen!

The Planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, story tellers and lovers of all kinds. 
​~Dalai Lama

What I'm up to these days