Enthusiastic educator supporting curious, empathetic students who make the world a better place.

Grant Acceptance

Writing can change the world! And sometimes you may even get a giant check.

I approach teaching and learning through an experiential, constructivist lens that emphasizes active engagement, reflection, and real-world application. I have taught students from diverse backgrounds and abilities across virtual, hybrid, and in-person settings, adapting instruction to meet learners where they are. My practice is grounded in strong pedagogical training and certifications in Principal as an Instructional Leader, English as a Second Language, Secondary English, Special Education, German Language and Literature, and the International Baccalaureate Middle Years and Diploma Programs. Across roles and contexts, I have discovered that the most meaningful learning happens in community; ongoing collaboration with colleagues and students continually shapes and strengthens my work as an educator.

Grants and Awards

  • Deutsch Macht Spaβ Grant (2021)

    Created a project for a school-wide, student-led German Fest. I trained student ambassadors to educate their peers at the festival and promoted school and community involvement.

  • Gregory-Portland Education Foundation Grant (2021)

    This funding contributed to our German Fest. Students designed large-scale set pieces (giant postcards, informational banners, and floor games) in collaboration with other school departments.

  • Goethe Institute Fortbildungs Scholarship (2020)

    Completed 40-hour training course with international colleagues. This course included a focus on pedagogy and curriculum. Our culminating project was to develop a lesson plan with a team.

  • NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellowship (2017-2018)

    Awarded a year-long fellowship from the NEA Foundation. The fellowship included an initial conference in Washington, D.C., monthly trainings and professional development, a trip to South Africa to learn from educators there and explore their school system and a culminating project collaborating with other fellows to contribute to the book Twelve Lessons to Open Classrooms and Minds to the World.

  • National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar (2018)

    Attended a 2-week course at Yale University with a focus on Civil Rights and how to incorporate Civil Rights education into my classroom. Our culminating lesson plans involved archival research at Yale University’s Sterling Memorial Archives.

  • Fulbright Grant (2008-2009)

    Team taught with German teachers of English in Flensburg, Germany during this year-long fellowship. Worked with colleagues to develop and present lesson plans for secondary students.

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Collaboration can be a remarkable force in the world.

As part of my NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellowship, I had the pleasure to work with 48 amazing educators from across the country to contribute to this book. It was a tremendous learning experience for me, and one that I hope to enjoy again.

Education is hope.

I love stories. Reading stories, hearing stories, and sharing stories binds us together. My goal is for my students to find the stories that inspire them as they create their own.

  • Beinecke Library

  • Getty Museum

  • Calgary Public Library

  • Johannesburg City Library

  • Boise Public Library

  • Beinecke Library