- Co-Chair of the English Department. English & Journalism Teacher. Yearbook adviser. Currently teaching: AP Capstone (Seminar & Research), English 10, Journalism, Life Planning. Rated Exemplary in 2020 & 2021.- Responsibilities include planning and attending district and high school meetings, mentoring new teachers and substitute teachers, interviewing candidates, and strategizing with my Dept. Co-Chair and supervising Assistant Principal to empower teachers.- Working to create and build a district-wide, student-led Academic Symposium, founded in 2020. Innovative program includes an application process and Leadership Workshop.- Serving on District Leadership Council, NHS Faculty Selection Committee, Crisis Team, Equity and Family Advocate Committee, Leadership Team, and School Improvement Plan Team. - Collaborating within my various PLC teams — AP Capstone, CTE, Journalism, and English 10 — and using formative and summative data to create more effective teaching strategies.- Leading journalism program as Indian Legend yearbook adviser (2021-present). Previously advised Smoke Signal newspaper (2019-21), during which time the newspaper earned a Gold Medalist (CSPA) and the Indian Legend yearbook won a Pacemaker Finalist (NSPA). Helped gain board approval for an updated Publications Policy, giving more autonomy to editors.- Created and offered a Leadership Academy, Wordsmithing Workshop, and a Creating the Story Workshop for students, designed to turn journalism students into leaders and editors. Classes were held before and after school so that any interested student could attend.

Soul Teachers LLC is a podcast production company, which seeks to engage listeners in transformative conversations that build community. We continually seek truth that reveals our shared humanity. We create opportunities for Soul Teachers to share their life stories.I write a weekly blog and host the Soul Teachers podcast, which launches in early May 2019. Our guests include school teachers, clergy, activists, authors, and others who actively seek to build and foster community.

- English Teacher. Advised student newspaper. Subjects taught included Journalism, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, English 10, Truth through Memoir, UW in the High School.- Collaborated with the English Department to reinvent the English curriculum, empowering juniors and seniors to self-select courses, and increasing district goals of equity. - Rebuilt the journalism program, producing a print newspaper & launching an online newspaper, broadcast team, and podcast. Wrote three successful grants to increase student access to tech.- Accompanied editorial teams to five national journalism conventions, implementing an equitable fundraising system that increased across five years (2014-18) from $8,057 to $18,287 per trip.- Advised the lit mag/open mic program, recruiting young songwriters and performers, and mentoring three artistic teams, each of which composed a student-led musical production (2014, 2016, 2017).- Served as Grievance Chair, 2016-17, for the Vashon Education Association.

From 2007 - 2008, I published a memoir series on HuffPost that eventually formed the foundation of my upcoming memoir: How To Tie A Tie.

Instructor of English 131: Composition. Class took place on Vashon High School campus. This course focused on the study and practice of good writing with topics derived from a variety of personal, academic, and public subjects.

While teaching classes, I also - Served as Humanities Chair, recruiting faculty, observing instructors, and writing annual evaluations;- Brainstormed and developed a Faculty Symposium concept, recruiting faculty to submit proposals; and- Created and led Workshop Series, wrote curriculum, and led evaluation of Humanities curriculum.

I taught part-time in the evenings while writing for HuffPost during the day.

English Teacher, Student Store Director, Newspaper Adviser, Drama Director. Subjects taught: Advanced Journalism, AP English, Creative Writing, English 7, English 10, Journalism.• Produced 'High Spirits,' a short film, as part of an experiential education course. Working with industry professionals, Archer students worked as writers, directors, cameramen, and editors on Final Cut Pro to produce a short, faux-documentary, exploring a series of ghostly myths surrounding the school’s ancient building, Feb. 2007;• Transformed The Oracle, Archer’s student newspaper, from a black-and-white newspaper to a full-color news magazine, making it attention-grabbing and readable;• Developed Student Store over six years as a virtual Leadership Academy for young women, growing the Store from a $6,000 to a $45,000 annual budget, and from seven students to 165 students and 13 adult advisors. Secured two grants of $20,000 and $10,000 each to support financial education;• Collaborated with colleagues and parents to create The Renaissance Project, which involved students designing Renaissance costumes and performing scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream;• Served on the English 7 Grade Level Team. Duties included attending Arrow Week Trips, planning field trips, and collaborating with other teachers to create thematically inspired units;• Served on Admissions Committee. Duties included interviewing parents and students, administering the Independent Schools Entrance Exam, and reading application files; • Mentored beginning teachers within the classroom, giving specific feedback and support;• Founded Literary Society to encourage substantive reading. Implemented an honors ceremony to reward outstanding reading within the middle school;• Developed unit on memoir, based on Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street. Students researched their names, writing “My Name” essays each year, and publishing them to their parents.

English Teacher, Yearbook Adviser, Drama Director. Subjects taught: Classical Drama, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Honors English 9, American Novel, Composition 11, Journalism.• Rewrote curriculum for the Science Fiction/Fantasy course, incorporating short clips of classic Sci-Fi/Fantasy films to spark discussion and generate essay topics;• Advised nationally ranked Viking yearbook program, earning six All Americans (NSPA), seven Gold Medalists (CSPA), and seven Buckeyes (GLIPA) between 1994 – 2001;• Mentored two seniors as they wrote, composed, and directed a full-length musical, Lost in LaGrange. The show ran three nights with an average attendance of 600 students;• Nurtured student writers within the drama club, helping them to create an evening of original, one-act dramas, which became an annual spring performance, Scene!;• Developed leadership program for the yearbook staff, providing resources and support, working with an editorial board of students to create job descriptions, and choosing editors by means of a selection board.

English Teacher, Drama Director, Newspaper Adviser. Subjects taught: Advanced Composition II, American Literature, Basic English I, Honors English I, Journalism.• Resurrected the drama program (it had been 17 years since their last theatre production);• Created a drama club, a backstage production team, and a drama troupe, all of which supported the revived drama program;• Advised and transformed the newspaper into a news magazine;• Attended AP Training Seminar in preparation for teaching AP English.