High School- Chatfield Sr. High School- Littleton,Co.

Bachelors Degree- Fort Lewis College- Durango, Co.

Masters Degree- University of Northern Colorado- Greeley, Co

Principal/Adminstrative (Educational Leadership) Endorsement- Western Governors University- Salt Lake City, Ut

My first year of teaching was a year-long teaching internship at Bayfield Elementary in Bayfield, Colorado. I spent that year working with 2nd grade students which was an amazing experience. Once I completed the internship, my family and I migrated west where I began working at Cortez Middle School as a 7th grade reading teacher. Quite a change from working with 2nd graders to working with 7th graders!!!!  At CMS I participated in multiple groups and committees, was a department chair and also served as the schools' "literacy coach" for a couple of years. After 6 years at CMS an opportunity to return to elementary school teaching arose at Lewis Arriola Elementary and I jumped at it. As a 5th grade teacher and ultimately "Dean of Students" I enjoyed some of my best years of teaching. Teaching at all levels has been a great experience but working at Lewis Arriola redefined what really good teaching was and what a special place it is.

After six years of working with great students, teachers, student teachers, staff and community and family members at Lewis Arriola I moved on to work for multiple local districts as an "integration liaison". Having completed a second postgraduate degree and having earned a principal's license, the liaison duties of working with teachers on professional development and teacher evaluation was a natural transition into the administrative world. Liaison work took me to all of the regions' districts as well as areas throughout the entire state. However this work was only for a year. Uncertain of what direction to go following the liaison work, an opportunity to work as Associate Principal Lewis Arriola developed and again I jumped at it. It is extremely rare in education that a person can return, in a different capacity to a place where so many great experiences took place.

I am currently working as the Associate Principal at Lewis Arriola Elementary & Pleasant View Elementary schools and continuing to work as an Integration Liaison. While i can say that my 14 years in education has been a interesting and winding road, it's good to be home!!!!!  

As a Denver naitive, the only thing I knew about Cortez was that Mesa Verde was near. However, after moving to the southwest corner of the state in the mid 90's I quickly relaized what a great part of the world this is. As an avid skier, cyclist, hiker and all round lover of the mountains and desert, Cortez and the entire region have become my "home" and where I love to be.