Biography

Leadership means knowing who you are and what you believe. This clarity enables leaders to help others know their own beliefs and how those beliefs drive their practices. As change stems from within, effective leaders empower and facilitate change within the people they touch.

The Leadership program at Andrews University has helped me to understand my role as a change agent, and as a reflective researcher in the field of education. After graduating from the leadership program in 2003, I took a position at Broome-Tioga BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) as a professional development specialist. My main focus is on K-12+ literacy, learning theory, and leadership. Before taking this position, I worked as an instructional support teacher, a peer coach, and an English teacher. When I have time, I enjoy consulting with area school districts, aiding teachers in gaining skills in various learning strategies that help students meet with success in the classroom.

For my family, summer would not be complete without a trip to Michigan. They have enjoyed traveling to the Roundtable every summer since I began the program in 1999. William, my husband, and my children Jordan (4 ), Abigail (2 ), and Jacob (1) love going to the children’s museum in St. Joe where they pick apples, visiting the beach where they play in the sand, and Kilwin’s ice cream store where they pick their favorite flavors of ice cream to savor and wear all over their faces.

Life is meant for living. A favorite quote of mine by No Fear states that “If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space.” I tend to keep busy between work, family, and research, and I enjoy every minute of learning and growing from the seeds that were planted during my time in the Leadership program.