About Me

photo credit: Robin Monteith

Hello! On this page, I do not intend to duplicate my resume nor to share my goals or reflections of my own studies. But I do hope I can share with you a little more about me.

I fell in love with my husband when I was studying in Chile and not only did our chance encounter twenty years ago affect my life personally but it had a major impact on my professional life as well. After finishing my B.A., I moved to live in Chile and I had to make a living somehow. So I chose to teach English in a small language institute in northern Chile. It was a tremendous experience. I taught mostly the management tier of the various mining companies. One semester I even taught at the mining camp! I enjoyed sharing my knowledge but more importantly I enjoyed the social aspect of language learning. Upon returning to the United States a few years later, I began my Spanish teaching career in an independent boarding school in MA. I underestimated how difficult it would be to teach teenagers. Being close in age made it even harder. I would not have stayed in education had it not been for the mentors I encountered in my short time there. Though I thought I was a bad teacher, they believed I could improve and put their energy (and patience) into helping me do so. And those experiences shaped my eventual career decisions.

Though I only stayed at that school for two years, I had grown tremendously and, more importantly, left there with a clear growth mindset- a characteristic I believe to be one of the most important a teacher could have. I went west with my husband. We landed in the high desert and at a very young school. There I was able to help mold and shape the school and curriculum. At this school I saw myself taking teacher-leader roles and I really enjoyed leadership. I found another mentor and she helped me in countless ways. She trained me to take over as Upper School Director and I still sought her advice even after her retirement. That young school struggled and I found myself dealing with some really difficult educational questions. Yet, we were still graduating some of the finest academically driven and ethical seniors I've seen. I discovered a "secret ingredient" to education- the relationships really mattered! But alas, I was itching to move on. There were few resources at the school and the budget pinch was difficult to work with. Moreover, the school had been through various waves of weak head leadership and I saw it taking a toll on me and the culture of the school.

So I moved on to a position as Dean of Faculty at a small independent boarding school in TN. It is here that I hope to meld my previous experiences to make a difference. Like all schools, this is one not without problems. However, we recognize that relationships matter. We have hardworking faculty and some have that all-important growth mindset. Those that don't appear to have it may just need to look outside our walls to learn that other ways of doing things may in fact be better. We shall see how this educational adventure ends up.

On a personal note, I have found this community to be the most supportive that I've worked in. The residential community has embraced us and we've embraced them. My children love their "big sisters" and the "big sisters" are kind and patient in return, often offering a chair at the dining hall for one of my adoring children.

As we say here, "It is a GREAT day to be a Foot!"