My inspiration to teach elementary school came from an incredible teacher who showed me that believing in myself is more powerful than any words or actions others could impose on you. It became the empowerment I wanted to share with others and a driving force behind my passion for health and wellness.Today, I channel 20 years of teaching experience as a certified health and wellness coach. I help athletes reshape their nutrition for better game-day performance and teach others new habits for improved health—all through empowerment and building confidence for sustainable change.Among my accomplishments:► SMALL STEPS TO A NEW MINDSET: I collaboratively introduced a nutrition and wellness program for a local hockey association by first suggesting healthier pre- and post-game snacks to stock the vending machine. I shared nutrition facts and guidelines and met with athletes, families, and teams to tailor nutrition plans for improved performance.► INNOVATIVE TEACHING FOR BETTER LEARNING: My experience combining old and new teaching concepts in the classroom helps me approach nutrition and wellness challenges from a base-level approach to teach sustainable change. The athletes I work with were initially skeptical about the impact nutrition change could have on their game but were soon asking for my tailored advice.I first used this practice to teach story writing and math for my 5th-grade students, which significantly improved their performance on standardized tests relative to their scores in earlier grades. The method fosters learning that is more efficient and sustainable.► MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Years after teaching a roomful of students struggling with severe behavioral, academic, and emotional issues, I received a phone call from a middle-school student who had been in that class. He wanted to tell me he was doing well academically and emotionally, then thanked me for caring about him enough to discover his inner potential. What an incredible gift I received that day!