"Prior to starting my teaching career, I spent time in New York to work on my MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Sarah Lawrence College. This gave me a breadth of experience in the workshop atmosphere and helped me to understand how to both take and apply feedback to my work and give critical feedback to my peers' work. I went in as a decent writer and came out a more refined, more effective, and more creative writer. All of this helped me become a better teacher when I entered my first classroom in Huntington Park, CA, to teach English and History to 8th graders. After that first year, I would move on to high school grades, where I've taught 9th, 11th, and 12th grade, all in English and History. For years, I worked with students who struggled the most, and this helped develop my skills not only as an instructor and content expert but also as a cheerleader for my students. So much of my work in the classroom was just to help build my students' confidence before we could even begin working on improving their areas of need.

I've learned so much in my 12 years of teaching that I would love to apply to smaller settings where I can be even more impactful for students. I would love to work with folks who need support in their essay writing, creative writing, and critical reading skills. And though I have the most experience in secondary grades, I would love to work with folks of all ages! I love writing more than anything, but I'll be honest, it's hard for me too! And I hope that, with my help, you'll be able to grow your confidence as a writer and even begin to enjoy and love writing as well, not only as an academic pursuit but as a means of expression and creativity. Though I am no longer in the classroom full time, I now do really creative work as the Director of Creative Writing at a local arts high school. Through this new position, I've developed more skills as a project manager and creative writing teacher. I would love to work with folks who are in need of a boost of joy in their writing!" less...