I was born and raised in Ware and attended Ware Public Schools from kindergarten until I graduated Valedictorian of the Class of 2004. Ware Public Schools not only offered rigorous academic classes to ensure I was college and career ready, but also employed teachers and staff who challenged me to be a better student and person. As an aspiring educator, Ware High School afforded me the opportunity to explore my desired career pathway as an intern in 8th grade math classrooms, and this experience coupled with my years as a tutor and a Red Cross certified swimming instructor solidified my desire to pursue the teaching profession. Additionally, my time spent as a student-athlete on the Ware High basketball and baseball teams helmed by remarkable coaches helped shape my character and collaborative skills.
Well exceeding the requisite GPA and SAT requirements, I earned UMass Amherst’s highest academic award, the Presidential Scholarship, which helped defray half of the cost of my bachelor’s program. While double majoring in mathematics and psychology, I seized opportunities to be a Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant in the Psychology Department, a Resident Assistant in the campus Residential Life system, and the President of the Newman Student Association, one of numerous Registered Student Organizations. My time in Ware Public Schools not only prepared me for the curricular demands of college coursework, but also ensured I possessed the time management, interpersonal communication, and self-regulatory skills needed to thrive as an independent young adult.
After graduating cum laude from UMass, I taught a year at Palmer High School before landing at Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School to teach math for five more years, three of which also serving as Mathematics Department Head. During this time, I found a passion for the robust experience Career and Technical Education offers students, and I became drawn to leadership within the CTE field. I decided to obtain my M.Ed. in School Administration at American International College, and I concurrently attended Leadership Academy I and II (for aspiring Career and Technical Education building-level administrators and superintendents, respectively) to earn my administrator certifications. These last four years, I have served as Pathfinder’s Academic Director, overseeing the school’s academic curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices, as well as working to help integrate the school’s academic and technical programs. Additionally, I sit on the Board of Directors for NCLA, a national organization aimed at sharing best practices among local administrators in CTE schools and districts across the country. I have also presented at national and statewide conferences and have moderated Twitter Chats for various topics in education.
This fall, I shall be transitioning from Pathfinder to the Doctor of Education Leadership program at Harvard Graduate School of Education, the top practitioner’s doctoral program in the field. In this endeavor, I hope to represent the Career and Technical Education community well while bringing to the forefront of American education the competitive advantage CTE programs offer students in developing their academic knowledge, technical and professional skills, and moral character to allow them to access their desired career pathways and lifestyles while being upstanding, productive members of society. More so, I wish to honor my family, friends, teachers, coaches, and mentors, especially all those dear to me in the Town of Ware, who have shown me that with a strong work ethic, passion, vision, perseverance, and a great support system, even the loftiest of goals is achievable.
Thank you all for your part in making this journey possible!