Experience and Qualifications
I am an experienced public-school administrator and teacher. I currently live in beautiful Indiana with my husband and 2 children, but lived in the great state of Texas for most of my life. My passion in working with people with disabilities started in college, as I studied the brain, behavior, and child development and graduated with honors with a B.S. in Psychology, with minors in Human Development and Business Administration. I continued my passion for learning about people and behavior and earned a Masters in Psychology, with a specialization in Criminology. I am certified in Texas and Indiana, with licenses in general education, special education and campus administrator.
I have experience in a variety of areas in the public school system which include: Special Education Resource and Co-Teacher, Special Education Adaptive Behavior Teacher, General Education Math and Science Teacher, Special Education Department Chair, Elementary Behavior Interventionist, Secondary Program Specialist, Instructional Officer for Instructional Officer for Curriculum and Instruction K-12 ICS/Resource/Professional Development/IEP Development, and most recently Coordinator for HS Life Skills, Work Based Learning, 18+, Transition, and Dyslexia. I also have experience teaching Student Success and Intro PSYC courses at community colleges in Texas.
While serving as a leader, I spent an abundance of time working with parents as I facilitated IEP meetings and parent communications to build effective plans for their student. I also spent a lot of time collaborating with other departments to implement evidence-based practices and shared ownership for student learning. As a professional development lead, I planned and presented at large summer conferences and mandated trainings, as well as created resources to assist staff with IEP development, co-planning, data collection, and implementation.
After 15 years of working in public education, I have encountered many success stories, but also barriers related to developing and implementing services for current or future students with IEPs. I truly believe that all returning educators stay in education with the desire to help students, so I approach any opportunity to work with staff in a respectful, appreciative and professional manner. Unfortunately, I also know lack of knowledge and limited time and resources available may cause a delay or disruption in services for students. My mission is to provide individualized support and training that will reduce the impact of these barriers and ensure ALL students get the education they are entitled to.
