Hi all! I am a social worker who took the road less traveled to arrive at my destination of working with students in the school system. I started my career interested in working with adults with disabilities and spent several years doing just that. During my MSW program, I had some incredible experiences working with adolescents and it changed the trajectory of my work. I took a role as a school based clinical therapist and became hopelessly devoted to working with kids. While I absolutely loved that work, I found myself in a position to take a hiatus to raise my son. During that time, I spent time working to deepen my understanding of social justice and human rights issues. I used my skills to consult with non-profit start-ups, provide career development consultation for single mothers returning to the workforce following abusive relationships, and to further my education in women’s studies (notably postpartum mental health). Once my son went to school, I was eager to reignite my career and have spend the last few years developing and providing school social work services at a small charter school. I love using my full range of skills and talents to support students and teachers directly, while also creating policies and implementing practices that support the entire school community. Here’s a little bit about the principles and beliefs that, in conjunction with the NASW code of ethics, influence my professional outlook:I believe success looks different for everyone and I am skilled at identifying and articulating goals and objectives that help the people I serve achieve what matters most to them. I believe this often starts with assessing the need to make adjustments and remove barriers within communities, organizations, and/or policies that interfere with or prohibit the critical individual work required for lasting change. I believe in basic human rights and the unconditional acceptance of people without regard to age, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identify, or socioeconomic status. Black Lives Matter. Love is love. No human is illegal. I am in awe of the resilience I’ve seen humans demonstrate in the face of horrific trauma, discrimination, and while fighting for survival. I utilize this energy and inspiration to resist professional burn-out and to help inspire creative solutions.