What brought you to Emma Willard School?

I think it was meant to be. I wasn’t necessarily looking for a job when a colleague from my previous school ran into the room and said, “This job looks perfect for you.” I was teaching physics at the time, but my passion is environmental science, and Emma was looking for a person who could do both. I was blown away when I came to campus for a tour and interview. I knew this is where I wanted to be as soon as I saw the intentionality and care the employees poured into their work and the level of student engagement in the classroom and beyond.

Females often get overlooked in physical sciences, and empowering young females has always been important to me. Having come from co-ed public schools, I have often seen boys dominate the conversations and girls hold back in the classroom. Watching our students ask hard questions, push themselves beyond their comfort zone, and embrace each other through challenges and triumphs in the classroom, on the court, in clubs, and personally is why I got into education and continues to bring me joy daily.

What is a typical day in the life at Emma like for you?

Busy! I don’t think there is a typical day, and I love that. Before school, you can find me in the lab setting up an experiment, meeting with students, or planning with colleagues. When the day starts, most of the time there is not a minute to stop. My colleagues and students motivate me to bring out the best in myself. In class, we are either working collaboratively to examine intricate environmental problems, in the lab getting first-hand experience through experiments, researching for a project, or having the best discussions because Emma students are so curious. I spend a portion of each day working with Emma Green and EcoLeaders to organize community engagement opportunities, educate our community on environmental impacts, and increase campus sustainability from the dining hall to the classroom.

What is one thing about working at Emma that would surprise people?

I was most surprised by how welcoming and tight-knit our community is at Emma. I did not grow up in the same demographic as most of our community and was at first intimidated by my socioeconomic differences and the degrees held by most of our faculty. It was pleasantly surprising to me how kind and supportive both the students and adults have been. The bonds I was privileged enough to form with my advisees and students during a travel Jestermester are so deep and meaningful. The pace and structure of my previous schools did not easily allow for these significant bonds to form between teachers and students.

What were you like in high school?

I did not even know places like Emma existed in high school. I grew up in a very rural area and went to a tiny school. I spent time working on Odyssey of the Mind, playing clarinet and trumpet, and on both my high school and travel basketball teams. I had a diverse group of friends rather than sticking with one clique. I liked hanging out with my dorky National Chemistry Honor Society friends as well as my silly jock group and quirky bandmates. I have always loved nature and music, so you were just as likely to find me climbing trees or examining insects as at a concert for one of my friends' garage bands or Warped Tour.