After growing up a child of a veteran, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in public service. I am a dual graduate from the University of Kentucky with a BA in Secondary English Education and an MA in Secondary Education, completed the Senior Diversity Officer Leadership Graduate Certificate from UK's College of Education in December of 2023, and am pursuing a PhD in Higher Education with a specialization in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. I accepted a position at Scott County High School in Georgetown, KY teaching English Language Arts, Creative Writing, and Journalism to freshmen, sophomores, and juniors in May 2018. I served in multiple leadership roles and enjoyed being a member of a successful team of educators. Working at SCHS was a wonderful experience that helped me solidify my desire to spend my professional life in service to my community. After 4 years in the classroom, I transitioned into higher education as the Program Coordinator for Supplemental Instruction at the University of Kentucky's centralized learning center. The decision felt like coming home, and married all of my professional passions perfectly. I am honored to lead a team of outstanding undergraduate students as they lead their peers to success in some of UK’s most important courses. Working in a learning center opened my eyes to the barriers that exist and prevent marginalized students from gaining access to tools that institutions employ to assist their learners. This inspired me to apply for the Studies in Higher Education with a specialization in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion PhD program at the University of Kentucky. In my spare time, I enjoy camping and hiking with my family anywhere in the Commonwealth, traveling to new places (hopefully with mountains!), exploring craft breweries and local restaurants, reading (and owning) as many books as possible, and binge-watching MasterChef. Clifton Strengths Top 5: Input, Intellection, Adaptability, Positivity, and Arranger