Instructor Information

Background about me:

I am originally from the east coast, and I spent most of that time in the Philadelphia (Philly) area, so I love a delicious cheese steak and a soft pretzel with spicy mustard (I am always on the lookout for that here, so if you have any recommendations, let me know). I am also a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan (Go birds)! However, after living in California for over twenty years, I do feel like this is where I am meant to be.

I first moved out to California way back in 1999 and lived in places like Lake Tahoe and Mt. Shasta, where I mastered my snowboarding, hiking, and latte making skills. Eventually I, along with my wife, Christina, made our way down to San Diego for a change of scenery and lifestyle. And, it's been about eighteen years, so I guess it's fair to say that we kinda like it :). One of the best parts about living here is when you go away on vacation, and you tell someone that you are heading back to San Diego, they always get this look in their eyes, like, man, you are so lucky!  "I know, I know," I think to myself.

Currently, I live in beautiful Eastlake, Chula Vista, with my wife, Christina, and my lovable (but needy) Golden Chow Chow mix, Miles (you can see him above). Back in April, we sadly said goodbye to our 14 year old Chow Chow mix, Kaya, and then we decided to foster Miles. He clearly stole our hearts, and as a result, he has become our new adventure! In addition to being a dog dad, I am also a huge pop culture nerd; I love binging a new TV Show, making playlists on Spotify, and seeing live music. I recently saw Neil Young, Girl in Red, The Beaches, and Vampire Weekend. I also try to read at least one-two books a month. My recent favorites include Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Lessons in Chemistry. When I am not teaching or geeking out about shows such as The Boys, I love to travel. One of my favorite trips was to Tahiti (see the picture on the right above).

Background about my Education/Teaching Experience:

• Education: I began my higher education at the community college level, at Bucks County Community College in PA. After receiving an A.A in Journalism, I transferred to the University of Maryland, College Park, where I obtained my Bachelor's Degree in English and Film (Visual Studies) in 1998. After taking some time off, teaching snowboarding and then tutoring at a small college, I decided to pursue my Master's Degree in English at Sacramento State University. I continue to educate myself through various professional development activities and classes through my colleges.

• Teaching: I am an adjunct English Professor, which means that I do not teach at one college. In fact, I have been doing this at Cuyamaca, Miramar, and Southwestern since 2006. While I used to only teach in-person classes, I have been teaching mostly online for about eight years now. I love the convenience of being able to do this work at home or anywhere in the world, really. In addition to English 120, I also teach the English 120 Co-requisite class,  Advanced Composition, and Literature. As a professor for over eighteen years, I can honestly say that I love what I do, and I am passionate about writing, literature, social issues, and pop culture. 

My Teaching Philosophy 💡 As you will see in my class, I strongly believe in writing as a process, collaboration, and critical thinking. It's also very important to me that all of my students have a voice to express themselves, and that we are kind and respectful of each other's opinions and ideas--even when we disagree. Outside of the classroom, my academic interests lie in professional development opportunities centered around online instruction, equity, and acceleration. More recently, I have participated in departmental projects such as Cuyamaca’s Equity Project and at Southwestern College, I was part of an organization that helped faculty to ensure that all online courses have the proper addenda. Recently, I have joined an organization that reviews other online courses and helps instructors improve their classes.