Hello! My name is Michelle. I earned my BA in Linguistics with a minor in Spanish and my MA in Applied Linguistics from California State University, Fullerton. While in college, I took a liking to working in a classroom and taught English as a Second Language for several years. After finishing my classes for my MA and while completing my thesis, I decided to move abroad to Colombia where I began to teach in the public school system through a local nonprofit. This inspired me to see issues beyond the classroom and how they can ultimately affect student behavior and learning. After returning to the United States, I moved to Omaha, Nebraska to work with juveniles on probation for various offenses and privately placed youth who have severe behavioral issues and trauma, which was a major eye-opening experience that helped me grow in the field. As I moved forward in my career, I returned to California where I worked at an organization with adults and juveniles who had court-ordered sentencing. I then decided that I missed working in direct care and began to work in a group home with young foster children from 6-13 years old as a supervisor. I am a major advocate for juvenile reform, preventative behavioral strategies, working to better the skills of those with learning disabilities and trauma informed care. I hope to complete my JD with a focus in Children’s Law/Juvenile Justice. I am very excited to now be a part of Samueli Academy and help so many students in a school setting!