How long have you been teaching?

This is my eighth year of teaching. Directly following college, I taught in Maryland for five years. I spent the last two school years teaching up in Erie at my alma mater, McDowell. 

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania. Erie always seems to hold a bad reputation, and I can totally understand why. It seems that for 95% of the year, it is either cloudy, rainy, or snowy (most times, a combination of all three.). But for that remaining 5%, it can be pretty great. I am personally a fan of Presque Isle. It’s a great place to enjoy the beach, go for a run, kayak, or to grill up some good food. My dad just bought a jet ski as a retirement gift to himself, so it’s a whole lot of fun to take that out on the water as well. 

What is the biggest change from teaching at your previous school to NASH?

In the years that I was teaching at McDowell, I was teaching at their Intermediate High building. For one, the available courses to teach were limited. I was teaching Algebra 1 and Geometry during my time there. Being a Keystone-tested course, Algebra 1 proved to hold a lot of pressure to its name. Also, the maturity level of the students was vastly different. The world of a 14-to-16 year old is VASTLY different from that of a NASH student!

Where did you go to college?

I attended Edinboro University from 2011 to 2015. I decided to go to Edinboro due to its reputation for holding many accreditations in its School of Education. I would say that my favorite part of college was my senior year, which was the first time that I was able to go into a classroom and teach. I can still remember my first teaching placement, which was at a middle school in the city of Erie. It was there that my passion for education was confirmed. 

What made you want to teach calculus?

My high school calculus teacher was one of a kind. He was young, nerdy, quirky, and witty. But most importantly, he was a great teacher. He made a subject as advanced as calculus seem so easy. It’s from him where my inspiration comes. I aspire to help students realize that while calculus is challenging, it’s not impossible. With a little bit of hard work, you’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish. (Though I still take it personally when students don’t like my “low d-high” approach to the Quotient Rule.)

What made you become interested in becoming the NASH Ski and Board Club sponsor?

I was a co-advisor of the Ski and Board Club while I was teaching at McDowell. When the opening of the advisor spot was announced at NASH, I figured that it would be a great way to become involved in the school community. There has been a little bit more work involved this year (with Seven Springs shifting to Vail ownership), but everyone at NASH has been fantastic in helping me make this club a success. 

What is your favorite part about being the NASH Ski and Board Club sponsor?

Being a sponsor of this club allows me to see students outside of a classroom setting. It’s always enjoyable watching other students pass by me on the slopes and seeing how impressive their skiing/snowboarding skills are. On days that we take trips, it makes for a long day, but seeing the excitement and enjoyment of the students makes it all worth it. And the chili at the Foggy Goggle is really good. 

Would you rather ski or snowboard and why?

I am in no way a good skier. I still fall OFTEN. But I do better each time. I’ve never tried to snowboard. I just have a premonition that things will end badly if I tried. NASH would probably have to end up finding another sponsor for the club.

What activities did you do in high school?

I was a long-distance runner. I ran cross country in the fall, and during the winter and spring seasons, I was on the track and field team. I ran the 400m and 800m and participated in some of the relays. I was a member of McDowell’s Honors College, and somewhat involved in their math and Spanish clubs. 

What would you tell your younger self?

Don’t adopt that cat. That is, unless you want a room full of 18-year olds to make fun of you on a daily basis. (8th Period, IYKYK.)

If you could be a NASH student for a day, what would you do first?

Head to the cafeteria. I hear that the chicken bowls are something special. 

If you could have any superpower what would it be and why?

Definitely teleportation. I have this strange, irrational fear of flying (even though I’ve skydived before and enjoyed every minute of it), so being able to go anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds would be awesome. Plus, being able to go to Taco Bell whenever I want would save me SO much in DoorDash fees.