Who I am…

A teacher, an advisor, a mom, a lifelong learner, an adventurer, and a voracious consumer of global cultures – music, food, history, literature, art – you name it! 

Raised in central California, I’m the child of transplants from Germany and the East Coast. I came east for college as a teenager and stayed. As an undergrad at Harvard College, I studied English History & Literature. In the mid-90s I earned a masters in world religions at Harvard Divinity School.

In thirty years of teaching and advising high school students, I have sought to foster & activate in them attitudes of curiosity and wonder, as well as concrete organizational, reading, interpretive, and writing skills. 

What I believe…

  • when we intentionally devote time each day to nurturing our values, interests, and gifts – that is a meaningful day.  

  • you — yes you! — are naturally creative, resourceful, & whole

  • curiosity, tenacity, & self-compassion (not “natural talent”) are learning superpowers & help us gain control — even when we feel confused or overwhelmed by the challenges before us

  • fulfilling lives of purpose and power result when our thoughts and actions align with our deepest personal values  

  • gratitude, empathy, and meaningful connections with others make us healthier, happier, and more resilient

A young mind on fire is
wondrous to behold!