Bio

 Experience

I've been teaching English Composition at Gateway Community College since 2009 and at Arizona State University since 2022. In addition to teaching, I also ran a business as a private chef and cooking instructor for 17 years and did freelance social media for a non-profit. Because my business was impacted by COVID-19, I shifted to offering online wellness webinars and health coaching. I also grew the best organic "pandemic garden" while working from home!  

Needless to say, growing and wild foraging food is one of my favorite hobbies. I love teaching people how to grow their own food so they can become more self-sufficient and not have to rely on the industrialized food system. My motto is: Free food is everywhere if you know where to find it.

I also love reading and writing (I'm an English professor after all!), and typically read a book a month, though in the summer I read a book a week. One of my  recent favorites was Stamped by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds, which is about American history, but it's not your typical history book. I highly recommend it!

 Education

• Master of Arts in English, Arizona State University (2022)

• Master of Arts in Communication/Cultural Studies, University of Hartford (1995)

• Bachelor of Arts in English, University of Connecticut (1989)

• Certificate in Sustainable Food & Farming, University of Massachusetts (2020)

 Professional Development

• Connecticut Writing Project Summer Institute (2021)

• Cornell University Urban Environmental Education certification (2019)

• “Approaching Walden” Thoreau Institute teaching seminar (2018)

• UConn Master Gardener certification (2018) 

• “Teaching for a Positive Future” Institute for Humane Education seminar (2017)

• Schwab Leadership Seminar (2014-2021)

• Barnes Seminar (2014)

• Numerous Center for Teaching, NCTE, and TYCA workshops