Among my passions and priorities are family, spirituality, literacy, music, teaching young children and connecting with people.

I was born in Texas and my family was part of the Great Migration, moving to the Northwest in the 1960's. I'm the eldest of four children and the only daughter.

I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in French from Whitman College in 1983 becoming the second generation of college graduates in my family. My first career was in retail and customer service. Shortly after getting married, I made a conscious decision to concentrate on raising my children, Tyler and Rachel.

My career in early childhood education started in 1988 when my children were in cooperative preschools. This unique model had at its core developmentally appropriate emergent curriculum for children that centered on anti-bias principles. At the same time, our group of diverse families participated in a monthly parent education component supplied by Seattle Central Community College. I served as co -chairperson and weekly volunteer for Madrona Co-op preschool for 5 years.

I held a variety of positions in Seattle Public Schools where my children attended, such as tutoring program coordinator, parent advisory committee member and volunteer. These experiences working closely with students, teachers and parents fueled my decision to build on my B. A. and go to graduate school. I earned my teaching credentials in elementary education with an emphasis in early childhood from Pacific Oaks College in 2000. Next I became a kindergarten teacher in Seattle Public Schools for 7 years.

The learning environments in my kindergarten and preschool classrooms were intentionally optimistic spaces where culturally responsive pedagogy was the norm. We embraced and celebrated the range of differences we represented amongst ourselves and beyond. Including (but not limited to) race, family structures, language and religion. I fostered communities in which teaching and learning flowed between children and adults. In addition, I’ve served as a preschool literacy coach and trainer for the federally funded, Seattle Early Reading First (SERF) program and have worked as a full-time preschool teacher.

On a more personal note, even before I became part of an interracial family that includes a disability, I believed strongly in social justice and actively resisting bias and unfairness.

An employment opportunity in a leadership role motivated my husband, Kirk and I to move to New York City in 2016. After a strategic planning process, his organization moved its headquarters to the DC metro area in 2017. An employment opportunity in a leadership role motivated my husband, Kirk and I to move to New York City in 2016. After a strategic planning process, his organization moved its headquarters to the DC metro area in 2017.

I’m highly invested in The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and volunteer regularly. It’s a national nonprofit working to confront and eliminate barriers resulting from prejudice, misinformation and bias concerning people who are visually impaired or blind with an emphasis on dignity and respect. In full disclosure, my husband is the president and CEO.

Listening and learning are really important to me and I seek to combine them to spread joy.