Biography

I’m a native of Santa Clara in the South Bay. I went to Harker back when it was still an “Academy” and before it had an Upper School - actually came very close to matriculating at Menlo (opting eventually instead for Bellarmine), and then went on to study a slew of humanities at Santa Clara University (Latin, Greek, Classics, Medieval & Renaissance Studies, English, and History, plus a heavy dose of Environmental Studies courses just as passion projects) before continuing on to the University of Virginia for graduate school. I then spent two years teaching at Kenyon College in Ohio and one at Brooklyn College, CUNY before moving to Las Vegas, where I taught (mostly Latin, but also ancient Greek, Spanish, and English several times each) at a private school for 10 years before joining Menlo in the fall of 2023.

Mixed in there along the way, I’ve lived and/or studied in several countries, including Australia, Spain, Germany, Italy, Greece, and Brazil. I love to travel, and think my country tally was somewhere around 85 as of the time I was hired. I love exercise of almost any kind, especially cycling and hiking; have coached not only volleyball and basketball, but also competitive Quiz Bowl; and have been an ardent (almost) vegan for my entire adult life. I’ve been a science/speculative fiction and fantasy fan since childhood; adore languages, geography, and trivia/knowledge of all stripes; and also love music of most genres, from electronic to bluegrass to pop (just no country; sorry!).

Other than teaching, nothing gives me more joy than whiling away whole days playing board games with friends, reading, and/or just snuggling with my surprisingly affectionate cat, Mini (Minerva).