I’m thrilled to be celebrating my twentieth year teaching in the Walnut Creek School District—how time flies! I began my career at Parkmead Elementary, where I taught fourth grade for three years before joining the Murwood community seventeen years ago. From the moment I arrived, I was warmly welcomed by students, families, and staff, and I knew right away that Murwood was the right place for me.
I’ve been especially fortunate to share part of my journey with my own children, who both attended Murwood. Now they’re off to new adventures—Harrison is in seventh grade at Foothill Middle School, and Brayden is a freshman at De La Salle High School.
My path to becoming an educator began at San Diego State University, where I completed the majority of my undergraduate studies. I later returned home to complete my degree at California State University, Hayward, earning a B.A. in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education. I enjoyed my experience at CSU Hayward so much that I continued there to earn my Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. I later pursued my M.A. in Educational Leadership at Saint Mary’s College.
During my time in San Diego, I worked in a 6-to-6 program and provided small-group and one-on-one academic intervention for students in grades 1–5. I completed my student teaching in a 1st-grade classroom at Murwood with Janet Kirkpatrick and in a 3rd-grade classroom at Ayers Elementary with Marcia Ashley. I also worked as a substitute teacher in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, which further deepened my experience in a variety of classrooms and learning environments.
I served as the Union Representative for Murwood teachers for four years before stepping into a broader role on the Union Negotiations Team, where I contributed for seven years—six of those as the Lead Negotiator and Negotiations Facilitator. These roles allowed me to collaborate closely with colleagues across multiple school sites, as well as with members of the Walnut Creek School Board and District Office leadership. It was a rewarding opportunity to advocate for educators and help shape policies that support our schools.
I served on the district's Technology Committee for four years and truly enjoyed partnering with Mrs. Rathert as one of Murwood’s Tech Mentors. Two years ago, I joined the Instructional Leadership Team, which has been an invaluable opportunity to collaborate with peers, refine my teaching practices, and contribute to the growth of Murwood. As a team, we are also leading the work of transforming our school into a Professional Learning Community (PLC), with a strong focus on student learning, effective teaching strategies, and a positive, collaborative school culture.