I was born and raised in the Bay Area, the youngest of six. As a young student, I frequently asked myself, xe2x80x9cWhy are we doing this?xe2x80x9d as I fiddled and daydreamed in the back of the class. After repeating first grade, I was diagnosed with Dyslexia and ADHD. With support, I finally earned a BA in English and Political Science from UCR, an M.A. in Ed/Psych from Pepperdine University, and an M.A. in Special Education from SFSU. I’ve worked for over 20 years as an Ed Specialist in Elementary, Middle, and High School before settling back to Middle School, which is my jam! My passions in education include literacy, social-emotional development, problem-solving, restorative practices, social justice, and of course, teaching full inclusion. When not teaching, I enjoy spending time with Cate, my children Calvin and Audrey, my bully Dozer, Greg Hefley, my Tortoise, traveling, camping, BBQ everything, bonfires, gardening, reading, vermiculture, making Kombucha, and obsessing over the 49ers.