My professional journey has always been rooted in design — not just as a discipline, but as a way of understanding how environments shape people’s experiences, behavior, and sense of belonging.

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I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design and spent 17 years working professionally as both an Interior Designer and Project Manager, ultimately serving as a Senior Residential Interior Designer overseeing multi-million-dollar projects across the country. Throughout that time, I balanced creative vision with logistics, coordination, timelines, and collaboration — designing spaces that were not only beautiful, but functional, intentional, and deeply human.

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Before design, my first major was Psychology, and although I changed paths, my interest in people — how they grow, connect, regulate, and thrive — never left. It quietly shaped everything I built. Design taught me how space influences behavior. Psychology taught me why. Together, they became the foundation of how I see the world.

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Becoming a mother brought a moment of clarity — a clear, unmistakable calling I could no longer ignore. I felt a strong pull to make a deeper, more personal impact, especially in the lives of children. Creativity had always been my language, but teaching felt like its truest expression. Even my personality assessments echoed what I already knew in my heart — that teaching was a natural fit, a lineage I was stepping into (my grandmother was a teacher), and a direction that felt undeniably right.

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Teaching has been nothing short of joyful. I love my job — truly. There are moments when the bell rings and no one hears it because we’re all so absorbed in the details and excitement of a project. Students beg to keep working, ask if they can take their projects home, and light up with curiosity, pride, and possibility. Those moments — when creativity ignites confidence — are everything to me.

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In the classroom, I’m drawn to 3D building, interior design, graphic design, branding, entrepreneurship, and jewelry design. While I ground instruction in the foundational Elements of Art and Principles of Design, my favorite moments come from going off script — breaking rules thoughtfully, personalizing projects, expanding creative possibilities, and transforming what might feel average into something extraordinary. I believe deeply in encouraging risk-taking, joy, and ownership, helping students discover that creativity is not just something they do, but something they carry with them.

 

Character education and life lessons are woven naturally into my teaching. I’m always looking for opportunities — in the art room, in the hallways, and through leadership work — to build confidence, self-esteem, connection, and kindness. I’ve collaborated closely with school counselors to support self-development programs, and I actively contribute ideas and initiatives that strengthen school culture and community.

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I am a teacher-leader by nature, energized by shaping systems, culture, and environments where students and adults can thrive. I feel most alive not only when students light up, but when ideas turn into action, when systems click into place, and when thoughtful design — whether physical, instructional, or cultural — creates momentum and meaning across a school.

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In every chapter of my career, the throughline has remained the same:
designing spaces, systems, and experiences that bring out the best in people.

Teaching didn’t move me away from design — it brought me home to its purpose.​