MY STORY
Personal Life and Professional Career
THE EARLY YEARS
Accomplished. Balanced. Educated.
I was born and raised in Canton, OH. I was always outside playing sports, exploring on my bike, and searching for a new adventure with friends. I excelled in academics, chess, and baseball throughout elementary and middle school. At Canton McKinley High School, I was ranked 23rd in my class out of 411 students. I participated in several after-school organizations and activities including baseball, chess club, marching/jazz/concert bands (trombone), National Honors Society, and Canton Scholars (philanthropy). Our chess club won multiple Ohio State championships during my career. My colleagues voted for me to receive honors as band king, homecoming king runner-up, "Mr. McKinleyite" runner-up, and class clown runner-up. My teachers voted for me to receive the "Excellence in Baseball and Science" award.
I attended Miami University in Oxford, OH and graduated with a B.S. degree in Psychology, a minor in Neuroscience, and a 3.1/4 GPA. During college, I tutored students in the local school district focusing on reading and mathematics, volunteered at the local animal shelter and state park, and was the Head of Recruitment for Alpha Epsilon Pi, a philanthropic and social fraternity. I regularly attended sporting events, hiked at the state park, participated in intramural sports, and biked around campus.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Optimistic. Passionate. Reliable.
After college, I accepted a position as as a small-group mathematics interventionist with the Denver Fellows program for Denver Public Schools. I moved to Colorado immediately after graduation and worked for two years serving students who were struggling academically and behaviorally. Due to my success as an interventionist, I was promoted to the leadership team to manage the expansion of the Denver Fellows program from 8 to 50 schools to provide instruction for ~6,000 students. For three years, I served as the Recruitment and Assessment Coordinator analyzing student assessment data to inform instruction, managing recruitment strategy, and streamlining interview processes.
In addition to my daily responsibilities, I volunteered as an Assistant Varsity Basketball Coach at the Denver Center for 21st Century Learning. And with the Culture, Equity, and Leadership team (CELT) to deliver professional development and life coaching sessions to district leaders and teachers centered around communication skills, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, mindset, and relationship building.
After 5+ years with Denver Public Schools, I switched careers to work as the Operations Manager for a Software development company, MarketOnce, where I managed the operations, human resources, and support teams for two years. Also during my time, I developed a professional development program, solidified recruitment and interview strategy, and structured support system.
For the past two years, I have been operating my business as an experienced coaching and consulting professional. Browse the website for more information.
HOBBIES, INTERESTS, AND FREE TIME
Adventurous. Empathetic. Grateful.
Colorado has been my home for the past 9 years and it is the perfect place to explore. I enjoy backpacking to natural hot springs, conquering 14,000 foot mountains, and hiking/camping through National Forests. Nature is my happy place; it brings me peace of mind.
In Denver, I love to long-board, play sports, disc golf, and play chess. When I am not immersed in the woods or activities, I am usually dancing to music at a concert or caring for my garden and house plants.
In my free time, I work on my individual growth through reading, writing, and meditation. I like to read non-fiction books regarding self-awareness and emotional intelligence, but I also like to read fictional stories to encourage my imagination. I aspire to be a writer and enjoy writing poetry, jokes, and stories based on experiences. One day I want to share them with the world! Many of my hobbies are meditative, but I also enjoy mindfulness meditation; focusing on my breathing and paying attention to my body.
Recently, I completed a 4 month, 15,000 mile van trip across the United States with my dog, Cooper. I enjoyed beautiful hikes in Glacier National Park, along the coast in Acadia National Park, and in the Blue Ridge mountains. I swam in the ocean all along the coast of California, in the Georgia Isles, and in Virginia Beach. Driving across Big Sur, through the farmland of Oxnard, and in the Columbia River Gorge to Mount Hood in Oregon were a few of my favorite parts of the drive. Cooper and I long-boarded along many boardwalks including a stretch in the gorgeous city of Santa Barbara to a special place called Butterfly Beach.
There are so many memories and experiences that will go unmentioned in this blurb, but I will note how much I learned about myself and the world while living in isolation on the road. I realized the importance of interpersonal relationships, connected with my soul and spirit in a more meaningful way, and had an incredible amount of gratitude pass through me during the trip. I took notice of my surroundings and appreciated the little things; like finding the freshest strawberries in CA, spontaneously landing upon a quiet camp spot in the desert, listening to the rain trickle down on top of my van, and finding a gas station when you are running on empty. There are so many more of these experiences that made me even more of an appreciative person.
When I am connected to my soul and conscious of what the world provides, human connection becomes incredibly natural. Gratitude was constantly being shared and received through compliments and acts of kindness. I believe these small, yet powerful acts will spark a butterfly effect of love around the world.
Let's grow together. Bee Compassionate. Bee Confident. Bee Conscious.