I am very pleased to be part of the Chaparral High School community. I have a passion for science that I am excited to share with my students! This is my 2nd year at Chaparral and 10th year in TVUSD (Great Oak High School and Bella Vista Middle School) and I love it here!

I grew up in New York and attended college at Rice University in Houston, TX, where I double majored in biology and policy studies. After graduating, I started teaching a 9th grade integrated science course in Newark, NJ through the Teach For America program. I fell in love with education and this is now my 14th year in the classroom and 20thyear in secondary education. (I also did a small stint in college admissions at my alma mater and spent 6 years as a curriculum specialist for a STEM program in Grand Rapids, MI.) I recently finished my Masters in Biology through a joint program with Miami University of Ohio and San Diego Zoo Global. It was an amazing opportunity to get behind the scenes at one of the best zoos in the world - ask me about it!

On a more personal level, I have three daughters that also attend school within TVUSD. My oldest, Sydney, loves to be active and is a voracious reader. Maya (in the middle) loves to build things, plays travel basketball and very successfully stalls at bedtime. My youngest, Gabby, has a bubbly personality, plays basketball (only when I coach her!) and loves slime and fidgets. My husband valiantly tries to share his love of mountain biking with me and is extremely patient with me when we hit the trails. We also have a dog, a Vizsla, who isn't quite a puppy anymore but still acts like it! I enjoy gardening, reading, hiking, making stuff and good coffee in my spare time.

Please remember that I am here to help! If you find that you are unsure about a concept, please communicate with me - the earlier, the better! I am looking forward to an excellent year!