My best friends growing up were adults. My aunt and uncles were important fixtures in my life. About the age of 7 I relized that they were different. They didn't know how to read or write, and my aunt (who was a sister to my grandmother) would "go to school". I asked my mom about it and she told me that they had Down Syndrome. I started to become frustrated with people staring and making mean comments about my family members. My frustration led me to want to advocate and support individuals in similar situations. In graduate school I began researching homelessness and how it effects children. 

My life experiences have led me to have passion for working with, for, and assisting individuals that are marginalized. While I have had a wonderful experience in the classroom working with diverse populations and training staff, I have come to miss working on research. In order to blend the two worlds, I have changed my focus from teaching to UX research. UX research allows me to use my experience in the classroom utilizing applications and supportive technology to research new ways to use and improve applications and resources. Instead of working with 3-6 individuals a year, I can help to impact thousands in a positive way!