Biography

While in high school, I made a promise to myself to never become a teacher. Fast forward to 2021 and this will be my 19th year as an educator! When I was a student at North Carolina State University studying veterinary science, I found myself tutoring college students in Spanish and enjoyed this work. That is how I realized that teaching was my calling, my purpose. After graduating with a BA in Spanish language and literature from NCSU, I taught at a magnet/IB school in Raleigh and had the privilege of facilitating the learning of a second language for all my students. As a Bay Area native, my family made the move back from North Carolina back to CA. I was given the opportunity to work at two charter Schools in Redwood City where I could continue to share my love of the Spanish language. During this time, I also mentored a group of thirteen students through their four years of high school and became an assistant director for one year. In my 13th year as an educator, I decided that I wanted to experience working at a comprehensive high school in the Bay Area. For one year I taught Spanish at San Mateo High School and at the end of the school year I was once again given an opportunity to expand my leadership skills as the dean of students. As the dean, I facilitated the transition of a punitive discipline approach to a more restorative one through restorative justice practices. After the experience of being a dean, I made the decision to become an assistant principal. While in this position I also decided that I would fulfill my dream of obtaining my master’s degree and did so in administration.

Outside of school I enjoy visiting family in Mexico and spending time with my husband and two sons (one of whom is also a teacher here at Menlo). While I love and admire my family, my favorite thing of all is playing with my five dogs in our cow pastures and riding one of my three horses to see the gorgeous Half Moon Bay views.