I was born in Alberta, Canada, and spent much of my childhood in Romania as a missionary kid. I am the oldest of five children, all of whom were homeschooled. During my senior year of high school and the gap year that followed, I taught English as a Second Language (ESL) to Romanian students and volunteered at local summer camps. These experiences gave me early and meaningful opportunities to work closely with children in both academic and enrichment settings.

During this time, I applied to universities in Mississippi, where I had extended family, and made the decision to pursue a degree in education. In March 2016, I moved away from my immediate family to begin this next chapter. I started my undergraduate studies at the University of Southern Mississippi as an Elementary Education major. After one semester, I expanded my focus by adding Special Education (Mild/Moderate Disabilities) as a second major, along with an endorsement in Reading.

During my student teaching experience in Winter 2020 in an elementary self-contained classroom, I discovered a strong passion for working with students who benefit from individualized instruction, differentiated support, and targeted interventions. I knew then that I wanted to dedicate my career to supporting learners who require additional academic and behavioral support in order to thrive.

I graduated in 2020 with a B.S. in Elementary Education (K–6) and Special Education (K–12). I began my teaching career at Petal Elementary in Mississippi as a 3rd-grade Inclusion teacher. In this role, I worked with students with a wide range of learning needs who were integrated into the general education classroom. I provided in-class support, small group instruction, and individualized interventions. I was also responsible for developing and implementing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and supporting students in meeting their annual academic and developmental goals.

In July 2021, my husband accepted a job in Boca Raton, Florida, and we relocated across the country to begin a new chapter. I began working in Wellington, Florida, as an Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher, supporting a caseload of 50+ students in grades K–5. I worked closely with students in the general education setting, ensuring their IEP goals were met through accommodations, modifications, and targeted support.

In spring 2024, my husband’s career brought us once again across the country, this time to Alaska, where we currently reside and plan to remain as long as we are needed.

While I deeply value my experience in the classroom, my passion has grown toward providing individualized tutoring that meets students where they are, without the constraints of large classrooms, standardized testing pressures, or one-size-fits-all instruction.

My goal is to work with homeschool families, both locally and overseas, traveling families, families that speak more than one language, as well as the families that just need a bit of extra support for their child in the public or private school system. 

 

Thank you for being part of this journey with me.