About Me

My heart and background

I have worked in the field of education for the last 40 years as a general education teacher, ESL teacher, special education teacher and administrator. For twelve years I had the privilege to be the principal of two different specialized schools for students with emotional and behavioral struggles. In 2018 I moved into a public school district to support the Special Education department at the district level. 

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Born in Texas, I had the privilege of growing up in Thailand as the child of missionaries.  Those twelve years impacted who I am today - a believer that we are all able to learn, that all people have value, and that it is often our differences that make us special.

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I have worked in the field of education for the last 40 years as a general education teacher, ESL teacher, special education teacher and administrator. For twelve years I had the privilege to be the principal of two different specialized schools for students with emotional and behavioral struggles, before moving into a school district in 2018.  In my administrative roles I have created and implemented new programs, managed compliance and staff profession growth, improved student achievement and parent satisfaction. I am currently the Assistant Director of Special Education for the Baldwin Park Unified School District, working to provide quality education to our students with specialized needs and support our staff in best practices.  I support compliance for the Special Education programs, oversee all classified special education employees, support education specialists at the high schools, and support complex IEP concerns.  In addition, I have worked to establish ongoing professional development for teachers, paras and administrators in the areas of teaching with differentiation, supervising special education programs, compliance, IEP writing, and supporting students in the general education classes who are struggling emotionally.  One of my greatest passions is teaching and leading staff to best support students, and to work effectively as a team.  

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In my administrative roles I created and implemented new programs, managed compliance and staff professionalism and improved student achievement and parent satisfaction. I am currently the Assistant Director of Special Education for the Baldwin Park Unified School District, working to provide quality education to students with specialized needs and to support staff in best practices.   I have contributed to ongoing professional development for teachers and administrators in the areas of teaching with differentiation, supervising special education programs, compliance, IEP writing, and supporting students in the general education classes who are struggling emotionally. 

Competencies: 

1. Teaching Credentials:

   1. California credentials include Single Subject in Social Science, Education Specialist Credential (Mild/Moderate); Administrative Services Credential (Tier II);  Resource Specialist Certificate and Language Development Specialist Certificate.  

   2. ​Tennessee credentials: ​Professional Educator, 10 years

   3. Texas credentials: Principal as Instructional Leader

2. Certified Alternative Dispute Mediator, Pepperdine University, July 2022

3. 40 years in the field of education with experience in public districts, charter schools, non-public and private schools. My experience spans general and special education, and both at the teaching and administrative levels.

4. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written. My specific strengths include working effectively with certificated and classified personnel, unions, and parents and community members, including working with very tense situations and meetings, and working to support parents who have previously been very litigious.

5. Passionate about educational leadership, using data as the basis of informed decision making, and helping staff grow in their abilities to recognize and use research-based methodologies that yield results.

6. Master’s degree in Special Education (Learning Disabilities) and a doctorate in Education Leadership. 

Philosophy: 

I believe that all students can learn, and that when teachers use effective and research-based methodologies, standards-based curriculum and pacing calendars, and both monitor student achievement and make adjustments in their teaching, all students benefit and can demonstrate growth. I am not afraid to challenge professionals to grow in their knowledge and expertise in order to be part of the solution to meet the challenges in our field. 

One of my greatest passions is teaching and leading staff to best support students, and to work effectively as a team.  My second passion is helping educators understand the connection between Applied Neuroscience and the  behaviors of children in schools.

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I'm proud to currently be teaching as an Adjunct Professor at:

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Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA

Pacific Oaks College, Pasadena, CA

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I'm a proud Associate at 2Teach Global