👩‍🏫 Acerca de mi 

I was born in sunny Southern California and spent my early years there before moving to Boise, Idaho. My interest in Spanish began in middle school and eventually led me to Western Washington University, where I earned a BA in Spanish, a P–12 teaching certificate, and certifications in Bilingual Education and TESOL. I also studied Spanish Language and Literature at the Universidad de Cádiz in Spain. Later, I completed an MEd in Mindfulness for Educators in 2020 and, in 2022, earned certifications in Integrative Life Coaching and Meditation and Mindfulness Teaching.

My teaching journey began at Wellspring Community School in Bellingham, Washington. Since then, I have taught Spanish at every level from elementary through AP in Whatcom County, Bellevue, the San Juan Islands, Snoqualmie/North Bend, and Tucson, Arizona. For seven years at Spring Street International School, I taught Spanish I through AP Spanish Language and Culture and led immersive student excursions through Spain, Morocco, Peru, Guatemala, Ecuador, Belize, and along the Camino Portugués in Portugal and Spain. I now teach middle school Language Acquisition (Spanish) at Seven Peaks, an IB school in Bend, Oregon, where I also lead an annual eighth-grade student expedition to Costa Rica. This year marks my 19th year in education.

Travel is one of my greatest passions. I have visited 28 countries, including many Spanish-speaking countries such as Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, and I've had the joy of returning to several of them five or more times. Few things bring me more joy than sharing the Spanish language and the richness of Spanish-speaking cultures with learners of all ages.

Outside the classroom, I enjoy paddle boarding, biking, skiing, backpacking, and swimming in the sea in my "seal suit." This past summer, I married my wonderful husband, Nick, and we love spending time adventuring together with our sweet pup, Summit. We also lovingly remember Booker, our bilingual pup, who will always hold a special place in our hearts.

I am grateful to be part of the Bend community and look forward to continuing to build meaningful connections with students, families, and the broader community. I'm excited to continue fostering curiosity, confidence, and a love of language in my students.