I am thrilled to continue my journey with Open Way Learning, where I have been actively engaged since 2021, in fostering open-walled learning experiences alongside learners, encouraging personalization, self-discovery, and relevancy. My passion lies in working with learners to uncover authentic, place-based math tasks that resonate with their lived experiences, embedding mathematical concepts into real-world contexts.
My educational journey has been one of continuous evolution towards becoming a more critically conscious educator. I've had the privilege of learning from colleagues at Open Way Learning, an organization that epitomizes psychological safety and relationship-building, fostering radical trust and productive collaboration. These experiences have deepened my understanding of the importance of trusted relationships and critical consciousness in education, guiding my approach to personalized, asset-based expressions of self.
My path has taken me from teaching algebra and coaching cross country in Canton, Mississippi, to community organizing in Seattle within East African immigrant and refugee communities. Despite my love for the Pacific Northwest, my passion for progressive, project-based education led me to San Diego for two enriching years in the classroom. Most recently, I contributed to system transformation and student-centered interventions as part of the Office of School and District Improvement at the Rhode Island Department of Education. Today, in my full-time role, I act as an educator and recruitment lead with Embark Education, a micro middle school in North Denver embedded in a small business – Pinwheel Coffee. Embark supports learners to courageously inquire, engage, and discover a sense of self in an environment that is learner-centered, integrated, and embedded.
In my downtime, you'll find me exploring new trails, indulging in cooking vegetarian meals, immersing myself in writing and journaling, experimenting with homebrewing, and cherishing moments with my family. I am eager to continue bringing my diverse experiences and unwavering enthusiasm for education to Open Way Learning, as we collectively reimagine the possibilities of learning together.