I am a 2009 Summa Cum Laude graduate. I majored in Speech (communication) and Music Performance. I am active in the community as a Barbershop Chorus Director, a member of the Salina Municipal Band and Salina Chorale, and employee at Choices Network (residential support) and St. John's Military School (tutor, 4 years).

Students' growth naturally excites me. I work to get my students to enjoy, or at least appreciate, the subject with which I'm helping them. I see myself as a coach who turns weaknesses into strengths.

In math, I teach my students that math is a real and human subject. I remind my students that everyone loves to count: all math can be thought of as the study of movement and counting. I teach my students that learning math well helps them clarify the mist of number confusion when important decisions need to be made.

I *love* teaching test prep. My focus is not on test strategy, it's on helping my students feel confident, yet cautious, about the material. I see my job as teaching my students how much they know. We all take in information; my job is to make my students aware of how to control what they take in.

As a graduated speech major, I still judge debate and forensics for KWU's team. I have previously taught a public speaking course for Cloud County CC, a satellite course at Ell-Saline.