About me
I'm a proud native of Berkeley, California. I started my teaching career in a small Title I school in California after receiving my B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. To be better equipped to meet the emotional needs of my students, I completed an M.Ed. in Community Counseling at the University of Oklahoma. Since starting my career, I have taught in urban districts, a charter school, and a private school in both Title I and non-Title I settings across three states. As a teacher leader and administrator, I've led professional development in curriculum and design, the International Baccalaureate framework, and Response to Intervention. As an Assistant Principal, I developed an in-depth knowledge of community building, shared decision making, program implementation, and teacher development and evaluation.
I was honored to earn the position of Director of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) for Atlanta Public Schools where I spearheaded the first-ever, district-wide, implementation of social emotional learning. My experiences leading a team to support over 70 schools and over 40,000 students have given me the skills and knowledge to help others take a similar journey. I have presented on SEL implementation at both small independent schools and for large district convenings. Additionally, I co-presented the EducationWeek Webinar “Social Emotional Learning - A Systematic Approach that leads to Student Success”. I served as a panelist during the congressional briefing on “Teacher Health and Wellness: Fostering Student Achievement by Supporting Teachers’ Mental and Physical Well-Being”. I am a certified trainer of Restorative Practices and a certified GALLUP Strengths Coach.
In addition to my work consulting in the area of SEL implementation, I'm raising a precious little boy with my husband and friend, Jason.
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