"During my law enforcement career, I had myriad opportunities to serve. Nonetheless, I wanted to contribute more. After earning my teacher certification in English and degrees in criminal justice, elementary education, liberal arts, and psychology, I remained in the criminal-justice field for some years—serving a total of 15 years—and then I transitioned to education, working with students at all levels: grade school, college, and adults.

Why English? When I was a police officer, an investigator with the local district attorney’s office commended me for my report-writing skills, which resulted in plea bargain in nearly every case—minimizing court costs and use of other resources. Having learned two languages (English and Vietnamese) simultaneously, I have always valued language. This commendation made me reflect on the reasons that I had such a regard for language, and it motivated me to pursue my degrees so that I may not only continue to improve my skills but also inspire others to overcome barriers so that they may reach their goals.

My objective is to motivate people to identify their own strengths and then help them to see how a strength in one area may also apply in other areas. For example, a proficient computer-science student may have an aversion to grammar; however, after realizing the logic that governs English, that student may then apply said strength to understand grammar. The if-then statements and the 1s and 0s apply to both. My priorities are the “why” and the “how” questions. Once people understand the “why,” then they will be able to use that information in other applicable instances. Apply the familiar to the unfamiliar. And because we often encounter unforeseen circumstances, we all need to know the “how”—how to locate and use reliable and valid resources.

No matter how well people do, I try to challenge them to improve—to reach their full potentials. Likewise, I am always seeking ways to improve myself. I don’t just want to help you meet standards; I want to help you exceed them." less...