My 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Hicks, was more than a teacher to me, she was a mentor. She left a remarkable imprint on my childhood image and motivated me to become more self-confident and actually become interested in learning. As I look back, I see what made me such a good student had a lot to do with the fact that she took an invested interest in me and she was a good communicator. She was able somehow to incorporate the right balance of praise, support, and discipline in her methods of education. From this I learned first hand that a teacher can make a difference in a child's life.

It has always been my goal to incorporate this ideology into my teaching; whether it was teaching Junior High School music students in Clinton, IL, or preparing High School students at Avondale Performing School of Arts, Atlanta, GA for musicals and competition meets, or giving private voice lessons in my vocal studios.

It is my job, as a Music Educator, to offer an education about the voice as an instrument, how it works, and how it is used. It may be learning the basics of vocal technique, breath management, and correct posture pertaining to classical music or it may be looking at experimenting with range, interpretation, and different musical styles.

It is my challenge as a Vocal Performer and Recording Artist to customize these fundamentals of music and vocal techniques to fit my student's particular abilities, interests, and goals and help them to discover and overcome any limiting “road blocks".

It is my opportunity as a Vocal Coach to challenge and support my students by maximizing what they are learning by emphasizing the benefits of commitment, self discipline, and self motivation, and to provide them with every opportunity to reach and even exceed their own personal goals.

The first question that I ask my students is "What are YOUR musical goals and how can I help you reach them?"

Looking forward to sharing in your musical journey of self discovery and self expression!