I have consulted as a college counselor for the past 10 years and have seen my students go on to study at the school that's right for them.  I help from the searching stage, to composing a great personal statement, to submission.  See my site for more information or just  click here to email me. 

My parents convinced me to return to NJ and take over an English class at Hamilton West since the teacher was retiring.  My entire family works in education and they were happy to have me join the fray.  I, however, was not so convinced.  Despite my former life experience and despite my MA in English, teaching proved to be my most challenging profession.  But after returning to California and teaching more that 17 years, I couldn't love what I do more.  Every day brings laughter, challenge, contemplation, revelation, and love.  The fact that so many of my former students keep in touch and visit makes me think that "maybe" they have felt that way too.

A few years ago, I edited a book written by Ann Windes Rivera called Journey to the Heart of Pachamama.  It's available for sale at Amazon.com.

I also started, and served as editor, for an award-winning, teen-produced podcast series called Open Orchard Productions.  The group grew to include 30 journalists and become an accredited elective at Palos Verdes High School.  OOP's radio segments aired nationally over 50 times!  It also gained recognition from This American Life, NPR, 99% Invisible, and PRX.

For various reasons, I then moved on to working for international advertising agencies as a consultant for Evian, Dannon, Delta, L'Oreal, Hallmark, AAA, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and Hadassah. Eventually, I was asked to open the company's Los Angeles branch.  Working in advertising was an exciting career, but I felt that there was something missing. So, I took a year off to think about what I wanted to do. While I was supposed to be relaxing and thinking, I started a video/photography company called Iris Studios for which I recorded countless weddings and special events.  I've maintained my photography on 500px and Flickr and my art work on Saatchi.

Over the years, I have had the amazing opportunity to travel throughout much of the world and learn what it is like to live in many different cultures. That is a lesson I hope all of my students learn for themselves!  Similar to Mark Twain's belief, I think that personal experience is the best teacher.

• China - Belgium

• South Africa - Hungary

• Japan - Czechoslovakia

• Hong Kong - Poland

• France - Denmark

• England - Luxembourg

• Italy - Monaco

• Spain - Mexico

• Germany - Belize

• Morocco - Honduras

• Switzerland - Aruba

• Austria - Curacao

My son, Harper, is 12 years old (but not in this picture). He loves Pokemon, ballet, and jokes. My wife, Jenny, and I have been together for 16 years. Jenny teaches middle school math.