“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
― Ernest Hemingway
― Ernest Hemingway
My passion for teaching started early, inspired by my mother, a dedicated third-grade teacher. Helping her decorate bulletin boards, grade papers, and prepare lessons gave me an early glimpse into the care and commitment teaching demands. I’ve come to see teaching as both a calling and a craft, one that blends structure with creativity and empathy with expertise.
My journey into teaching art began at BYU–Idaho, where I earned an associate’s degree in art, then continued on to Cal State Fullerton to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design. My early career led me to become the Creative Director at Sony Pictures, where I collaborated with international teams on multimedia and branding projects. Later, I pursued a Master of Architecture at SCI-Arc, working in architecture for several years before a personal turning point redirected my path.
The passing of a beloved mentor prompted me to reevaluate my life and goals. I began substitute teaching and found myself not only stepping into classrooms but stepping into a new purpose. Over the last few years, I’ve had the opportunity to serve in a wide variety of educational roles.
At Oceanside High School, I taught Art 1 for a full semester while covering for a teacher on maternity leave. This was a formative experience where I gained confidence managing a classroom, creating units, and designing meaningful critiques.
I later returned to Oceanside High to long-term sub in a ceramics class, where I learned to adapt instruction to a 3D medium while managing tools, kilns, and hands-on demonstrations.
At Mann Middle School, I taught Art and Multi Media for a full semester in a diverse and dynamic classroom. Many of my students were recent Haitian immigrants with limited English. This challenged me to be more intentional with visuals, modeling, and culturally responsive practices. It was at Mann that I saw how art can transcend language and act as a bridge between cultures.
Most recently, I served at La Jolla High School, where I taught high school art and continued developing strategies to make art history and studio projects more accessible, student-centered, and connected to identity.
Now, as I complete my credential program at Point Loma Nazarene University, I look back on these varied experiences with gratitude. I've grown immensely, not just in instructional strategies, but in my understanding of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which emphasizes engagement, access, and expression for all learners. I believe in meeting students where they are, offering multiple ways to explore and demonstrate their ideas, and cultivating an inclusive environment where every voice is welcomed and every creative risk is safe.
At my core, I am passionate about the arts and their power to shape lives. Whether in digital design, drawing, painting, sculpture, or mixed media, I see art as a universal language, one that encourages critical thinking, emotional exploration, and personal expression. I believe my role as an educator is to guide students not just in technique, but in discovery. To help them see the world, and themselves, through a new lens.
This is the work that excites me most: fostering creativity, sparking curiosity, and helping students find meaning through the artistic process.
