My true passion is helping young adults realize their full potential, and then guiding them through learning what tools and next steps are necessary for them to achieve their post-secondary goals. I pride myself on working with both the student and their families to create a plan of action that leads to success.  In addition, I want to help schools and families work together to bridge the “transition gap” for students who benefit from additional support as they leave high school.

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I have been in the field of education in some capacity for the last 19 years. I grew up in the Midwest and received my Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education and History from Lake Forest College, in the northern suburbs of Chicago. From there I moved to North Carolina, where I taught 7th grade reading and geography at a title one school, where most of the students had one or more parent enlisted in the military. I moved to California in 2005, where my first teaching job was at a private high school, teaching US History and World History.

 

My diversity of experience in these two settings led me to want to work more specifically with students with special needs. I went back to school and got my Master’s Degree in Special Education from Santa Clara University in 2009. Since then I have worked as a Resource Teacher at the high school and elementary school levels, as well as an SDC teacher at the high school level, where I taught English, Social Skills, Careers, and Academic Support/Study Skills.

 

I have always believed that every student can achieve their goals, when provided the right tools and supports necessary to be successful. I have also worked hard to empower my students and their families to reach for the stars, while knowing their strengths and challenges and the impact they will have on their future path. With that passion, I applied to become a transition specialist, so I could focus on helping to close the gap between high school and life beyond.

 

While I truly love teaching, and the interactions it brings, I have always been interested in helping teens navigate the world between high school and the great world beyond, and helping them discover the pathway to the future that is ideal for them.  In 2017 and 2018 I completed a graduate certificate program in transition to adulthood, so that I could be up to date with the latest research and information in the field of transition. I consider myself to be a lifelong learner, and my own passion for learning and my desire to open pathways for all students led me to look for something more beyond the classroom. Since 2017, I have been doing a variety of private consulting to help support young adults and their families through the post-secondary transition process.