I was a first-generation college student that absolutely shot for the stars. As such, the transition from high school to college was jarring, but the people I met and experiences I accrued over the years not only simplified my academic progression but made the adventure much more fulfilling. I graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a noggin full of knowledge, a publication on cognitive decision making, and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. I loved what I learned about the brain. This three-pound lump of goo is absolutely marvelous in both its structure and function, but I realized soon after graduating I wanted a career more rigorous than what my degree could provide me with. So, I decided to go back to school in pursuit of a medical degree.

While completing my requirements for medical school, I applied for a tutoring job at the community college I was attending. It felt incredibly natural to me to help my peers if they were stumped on a problem or were having difficulty understanding a concept. As an adult, I developed a very boisterous teaching style, punctuated with humor and laughter. Learning can be difficult, but simplifying tricky concepts with colorful figures accompanied by goofy stories proved instrumental to helping students make self-associations and truly learn the material.

Now, I enjoy helping students master their SATs and ACTs and achieve success in their biology and chemistry classes. I believe in helping students discover how they learn best and tailoring my teaching to their needs. That said, I like to keep things light and cheerful in sessions, and believe a positive attitude helps improve students’ confidence and engagement in the material.

In my downtime I like to do what I lovingly refer to as “lizarding,” or sitting out in the backyard sun for hours at a time with an adventurous book and snack in hand. When I’m more up and about, I relish the feeling of a nice run or a vigorous workout with my beloved barbell.