About
Experience
I started teaching at South HS in Minneapolis in 1993. I also taught at Anthony MS and Patrick Henry HS. I took on various teacher leadership roles over the years, including standards implementation coordinator, residency mentor, middle level reform coordinator, arts program coordinator, and professional development coordinator.
After 14 years in teacher roles, I moved into administration, first as Asst. Principal at Richfield MS in 2007, then back in MPS as Principal at Sanford MS in 2013, and currently Principal at Washburn HS, where I have been since 2018. I enjoy administration because, like teaching, it's never boring! There is a new challenge every day.
My degrees are from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities: BA in English from the College of Liberal Arts, 1992; MEd in Secondary Curriculum & Instruction from the College of Education, 1996; and PhD in Educational Leadership from the Graduate School, 2013.
I also teach the urban cohort of aspiring principals at UMN through the OLPD principal licensure program.
My older daughter is a 1st grade teacher, and raising a teacher is absolutely my proudest accomplishment.
Mission
My purpose in education is to empower students to create their best future. This is posted on the wall in my office, along with our Washburn vision: Washburn strives to become a destination school of excellence for students from all backgrounds!
Schools are a microcosm of society. What is happening outside our walls is reflected within the school. So our work is not static - it is ever changing.
Education is also changing as technology continues to develop and impact the way we approach instruction. I started teaching without a computer or internet, and now I am training my faculty on the ethics of AI use. Keeping up is imperative, but certainly not easy.
I have learned that the principal role is to do whatever is needed to ensure student learning.
My doctoral dissertation was "Talking about Race: Overcoming Fear in the Process of Change" (2013). After several years of training with Glenn Singleton and Courageous Conversations, I was curious what happens in the classroom after teachers engage with racial equity training. The results showed not only that it significantly impacted teacher practice, but that the role of the principal was significant to the process.
Through 18 years of training and experience as a school leader, I have learned a lot, and I enjoy sharing that learning with others on the journey.