About me

A California community college educator with a commitment to serving the needs of diverse learners.

Coach and Mentor

Objectives

To carry out its mission, SRLA has five key objectives:

To provide teacher mentors who assist students in their training and who reinforce the lessons of responsibility, discipline and goal-setting.
To support students in tackling a supremely difficult goal, to break down their mental barriers to this goal, and to create “can do” attitudes.
To introduce students to the pleasure of running, encourage students to develop the habit of physical fitness, and teach students aspects of healthy living.
To create an opportunity for students of all ethnic groups, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds to meet one another and experience an important sense of belonging.
To offer a program in which all students are welcome, all have the same chance to achieve the goal, and all become winners.

For many of the students, training for a marathon represents the first time that they have committed to a specific goal. By providing them an opportunity for incremental accomplishment and a supportive environment to help them on their way, SRLA gives the students the inspiration, excitement and encouragement to accomplish their goal.

SRLA Coach and Leader

For six years I have helped students learn that they can accomplish huge goals by taking the first step, then consistently and progressively working toward their goals. I gave support and encouragement to students as they went from from walking a mile to running a marathon.

Many of the skills, strategies, preparation, and passion that I offered as a marathon team leader can be used to support California Community College students in achieving their goals.

Preparation - the more time I put into advance planning, the more mentally present and available I could be to the students during practices.

Communication - I varied the timing (advance notice, reminders) and method (emails, power points, pre-run announcements, meetings). I was available to talk before, during and after practices.

Giving choices - Students could set their own paces and intervals, run with whichever teammates they wanted, use the fuel they wanted, select the weekday practices they wanted to attend, and make other decisions regarding what worked for them.

Modeling - I put in the same number of miles as the students on 100 + degree and below-freezing days, using safe running strategies.

Understanding and empathizing - I learned each individual's goal or motivation for being on the team, their starting points and what were the best ways to motivate them both on the team and in life. Many times just running along side them in silence or listening to them work out their own issues was the best way to support them.

Community Leader

Board of Directors Spring Valley Lake Association

Several of the strategies used during my four years of service as an officer (President, Vice President and Secretary) on the board of a 4200+ property homeowners' association would be transferable to serving on California Community College committees and task forces.

Identify the issues.
Get input from all the stakeholders.
Collaborate.
Avoid paralysis by analysis - make decisions.
Follow up and push until the project is completed.
Always act ethically.

Library Advocate

Officer Friends of the Victorville Library

My strong belief that the public library is a vital community resource has kept me serving as an officer for over fifteen years. (Treasurer, President.) My work includes:

Advocating for library services
Educating public about available resources.
Promoting reading programs
Purchasing computers for students, job hunters, and the public to use.
Reaching out to students at of all the local elementary schools and encouraging them to participate in the Summer Reading Program.
Purchasing thousands of dollars of books and other prizes as SRP reading incentives for all ages.
Attending City Council meetings and advocating for additional library space and resources to make library services available to all city residents.
Advocating for the library needs of the community.

California Community Colleges are also a vital community resource.

Professional

Education

B.A. Michigan State University
MBA University of Illinois at Chicago
JD Northwestern University School of Law

Experience

Compliance Officer
Court Administrator
Fiduciary
Human Resources Consultant
Medical Office Administrator
Part-time College Faculty
Recruiting Coordinator
Risk Manager
Staff Attorney

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