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MEET THE STAFF

Welcome to the CHS Learning Commons! I am overjoyed to be the CHS Literacy Innovation Specialist. I have been an educator for over twenty years at both the secondary and college levels. I have my bachelor's degree from Cornell University and started off my career as an English language arts and social studies teacher in Portland, Oregon. With a passion for learning, I went back to school to complete my doctorate degree in education at the University of Washington and then my library and information science degree at Southern Connecticut State University. My education and work have taken me around the country and world. Some of my most memorable experiences as a teacher have been the opportunity to visit schools in Botswana, Ireland, Japan, and Hawaii.

I live in West Hartford with my family and my three kids keep me busy outside of school. We love to travel and explore as a family and have the cutest dog, Wilson. Of course, I love to read, and will always have a book and audiobook that I am currently reading. My favorite genres are non-fiction (memoir, education, and wellness), historical fiction, and realistic fiction. I am always looking for diverse books that help me to learn about varied perspectives and opinions, especially those that differ from my own. I also enjoy practicing yoga, baking, music, and going for hikes near and far.

I'm so excited to be working at CHS!  I previously worked at the Canton Public Library and CIS Media Center.  I live in Canton with my husband and two daughters.  One attends UCONN (Go Huskies!) and one is a student at CHS (Go Warriors!).  I volunteer for Canton Parents for Music and the new Canton Greater Together Community Fund.

I have a Bachelor's degree in Music from Holy Names University in California (where I grew up) and a Master's degree in Public Policy & Management from Carnegie Mellon University.  Before moving to Connecticut, I worked for Deloitte Consulting implementing large information technology projects for state and local governments.  One year, I commuted between Madison, WI and Harrisburg, PA twice a week - whew!

Along with hiking, baking and researching travel, I read a TON.  My favorite genres are science fiction, speculative fiction and historical fiction.  I also love a good non-fiction book about outdoor adventures or disasters.  I'm also a HUGE Star Wars fan and would watch any movie over again even if I've seen it 10 times.