Biography

I have been a member of the Menlo School community for the past twelve years, and I am honored to step into the role of Director of Global Programs after a decade leading immersive experiences through Menlo Abroad (India) and Borderlands (El Paso, TX). These programs have been among the most formative aspects of my work, grounded in the belief that education is most powerful when it is lived—when students encounter the world directly, build relationships across difference, and come to see themselves as participants in a shared global story. Alongside this work, I have served a total of eight years as Dean of the Sophomore Class and Dean of the Junior Class, roles that have deepened my commitment to supporting students’ growth both in and beyond the classroom.

In my teaching, I invite students into a sustained inquiry into the history of ideas and the human search for meaning. I teach advanced history seminars including In Gods We Trust, a course on the Abrahamic traditions in public life; Global Issues for Global Citizens; Gender Studies; and the IP Capstone class. Across these courses, students engage histories, philosophies, wisdom traditions, literatures, and the social sciences in an effort to better understand our world and their place within it. My goal is to help students cultivate intellectual curiosity while also fostering self-knowledge, civic engagement, and a sense of responsibility to the broader human community.

I also direct the HAND Travel Fellowship, which provides students with the opportunity to design and pursue their own programs of study through experiential learning around the world, and I lead the Youth Philanthropy Project in Global Issues—generously supported by the HAND Foundation and the Koum Family Foundation—through which students identify, research, and advocate for NGOs addressing pressing global challenges. My belief in the power of these programs, and my faith in the transformative nature of these educational experiences, has been shaped by my own travels through Guatemala, Nicaragua, the Philippines, India, and Nepal, where I have seen firsthand how immersive, human-centered experiences cultivate empathy, humility, and a deeper understanding of our interconnected world. It is this conviction that drives me to place real responsibility in students’ hands and to support them in making meaningful, tangible contributions beyond the classroom.

I came to teaching after earning a double B.A. in Communication Arts and Theology, and a Master of Divinity from Harvard University, where I studied the history of religion and ethics. I also completed all coursework toward a Master of Liberal Arts degree at Stanford University, focusing on postcolonial history and global studies.

Before joining Menlo, I taught the history of religion at Woodside Priory School for seven years and served as Theology Department Chair for two.

Outside of school, my husband and I enjoy life on Lake Merritt in Oakland. The Bay Area offers a constant invitation to explore, and I spend my time hiking, reading, running, and cooking.