my story.
As a seasoned educator with experience in Instructional Design, I always value building connections with students, colleagues, and other stakeholders. Here's a little bit more about me to break the ice!
All About Me
When people ask how I got my start in education, I always think back to 11th grade English. At the time, I was so intimidated by my teacher that I had fully expected to visit my high school counselor to be moved into a different English class. However, by the end of my junior year of high school, I had developed a passion for literature that I didn't know I had. I discovered that I loved to write and loved to read, and appreciated that I had a teacher who encouraged me to lean into that newfound love.
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When I graduated high school and moved to Flagstaff, Arizona for college, my declared major was nursing. I was pushed to pursue something medical but could never view myself enjoying being a nurse for the rest of my life. During my first year at Northern Arizona University, I won passes to view a screening of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, one of my all-time favorite books. After viewing the film, I had the pleasure of meeting the author, Stephen Chbosky. Something about that experience sparked the idea of pursuing education. Remembering my times in 11th grade English, I decided that I wanted to instill a love of literature in students just like my teacher did for me. The very next day, I enrolled in my first education course with the intention of becoming a high school English teacher.
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After completing observation hours in high school, I quickly realized that I was horrified of high school students and began observing elementary classrooms. I soon fell in love with supporting younger students and changed my major to Elementary Education. I successfully completed my program in May of 2016 and began working at a charter school as a 3rd grade teacher. After a couple of years, I moved into administration as a Curriculum Coordinator and eventually moved into the role of Director of Academic Programs.
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Early into my role as a school director, I decided to pursue my M.Ed. in Learning Design and Technologies at Arizona State University. After the successful completion of my program with a 4.0 GPA, I was eager to move into the Instructional Design space. In the summer of 2022, I transitioned into an Associate Instructional Designer role for an EdTech company.
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In my spare time, I enjoy visiting Disney theme parks and watching movies with my husband. If you ever see me, you'll likely see an iced coffee in hand (iced vanilla latte with oat milk, obviously!), listening to Taylor Swift, and probably sharing photos of my cat, Tuna.
