I was born in Bakersfield, California, but spent half of my childhood in Farmington, NM.  I believe in the power of extracurriculars and academics as I have played softball, volleyball, tennis, cheerleading, and participated in science fairs, chess tournaments, and theater growing up. I married my partner after both playing tennis for Western New Mexico University in Silver City, NM – where I majored in Zoology and minored in Geology. I spent two years researching the effects of wildfires on freshwater ecosystems. We moved out to the ol’ West and I found my real passion for science education.  I worked at Discovery Cube for almost 7 years and decided I wanted to be in the classroom. I went on to National University to earn a Master’s Degree in Education and my single subject teaching credential. We have two little boys that test the limits of physics every day and are such great role models of the growth mindset – I am constantly inspired by them.

After working in Santa Ana for 7 years, I realized how much I love this community and how much I wanted to add to it. STEM Identity and STEM Equity are two of my passions within education and are the backbone to my teaching styles.  I am passionate about every student understanding their worth and providing them options for their future. The future is limitless and with the correct resources and mindsets, we can give the future to our students. I structure my courses around three common themes: an emphasis on social and emotional learning, the connection of content to real-world settings and problems, and the generation of enthusiasm for scientific inquiry. Every day I step onto a campus, my goal is to positively challenge, include, and inspire students in their thinking and learning.