Growing up in a family where education was valued and having a father that was an educator inspired me to become a teacher. My father told me at the beginning of my career that, “Some days, you might be the only hug, or high five or ‘Hello!’ that a student gets."" His wise advice instilled in me the desire to become an educator that makes a difference in students’ lives beyond the classroom. As a Spanish teacher, I hope to inspire students to travel the world as well as become a valuable member of our Global Village.

This year marks my 26th year of teaching, having spent the past 25 years here at NAHS. I will be teaching Spanish II and Spanish III this year, and I couldn’t be more excited! Over the years, I’ve also had the opportunity to serve as advisor for the Yearbook as well as the Peer Mediation programs. I’ve also worked as a mentor to new teachers and as a Teacher Liaison to students with an Intervention Program that was created at the beginning of my career. All of these amazing experiences have helped me get to know students both in and out of the classroom, and I couldn’t be more grateful!

I was raised in McDonald, a suburb of Youngstown, Ohio. I graduated as Valedictorian of the Class of 1991, and continued on to get my Bachelor of Science degree in Spanish and K-12 Education at Kent State University. In June of 2003, I completed my Master’s degree, focusing on Curriculum and Instruction, from Marygrove College. Since then, I’ve been able to continue my learning by traveling abroad with students from NAHS. We’ve traveled to England, France, Spain, Africa and Mallorca. These adventures overseas have provided me with memories to last a lifetime!

Outside of school, I’m the proud mom of two daughters. They keep me busy!

In my free time, I enjoy traveling to Florida to see my parents as well as going to Disney World & the beach as much as possible! My daughters and I also love going to the movies,  hiking, and cheering on our Ohio State Buckeyes!