Biography

When I was young I would stay up late into the night reading fantasy series like Harry Potter and Lord of The Rings, or writing my own fictional stories. Because I have dyslexia, at first I was a slow reader and writer. But with determination and support from my teachers and parents, I kept practicing. Even with a slow start, I still to this day enjoy reading multiple books a week and keep up on my story writing.

I have already lived and learned in a lot of places in the US. I grew up in the rainy but very green Bellingham Washington where I earned my BA in English at Western Washington. I also competed as a sprinter for the track and field team. My experience competing as an athlete empowered me to continue challenging myself with my education. After graduating from Western Washington, I went to Colorado State University in Fort Collins to earn a Master’s in English. There I fell in love with the wide blue sky, constant sun, hot summers, and cold, snow-filled winters. My Master’s research focused on feminist theory and midcentury American novels.

At Colorado State University, I taught six courses of composition over my two-year program. I loved teaching composition because the class sizes were small, and they were mostly freshman. I had time to get to know my students. During my time teaching composition, I learned how important it is for me to show students that their interests are recognized and valued. My strength as a teacher is meeting my students wherever they are at in their ability to learn the subject matter or completion of the assignment. Once we establish that I enjoy helping students build a simple and attainable outline of concrete ways they will reach comprehension of the content, and complete the assignment. My pedagogy is focused on a growth mindset model, which focuses on student’s ability to get better at their goals through steady work, as opposed to the fallacy that some of us are inherently smarter than others.

When I am not tutoring or doing my research and writing, I enjoy adventuring outdoors in the California sunshine. On the weekends I like to road cycle, and on the weekdays I swim laps and run. I also enjoy rock climbing and hiking, and taking my two dogs to run around on the beach. I like to balance being both a book nerd and an athlete.