My own experiences taught me the influence that an educator can have on a budding reader. As a high school freshmen, I was more interested in the cracks in the ceiling than any books being discussed. But one educator took a personal interest in me, and introduced me to Joseph Heller's letters. The humor pulled me in, and the insight kept me going. I was struck by a writer's power to put the world in sharp, sane relief.

I pursued my newfound interest to a Bachelor's Degree in English at Princeton, and my current pursuit of a fiction MFA at Columbia University. On the professional front, I have served editorial roles at Standard & Poor's, Encore Magazine, and Untitled. These experiences taught me the key role that written communication plays outside of academia, and the universal value of sharpening that skill.

I believe that patience and empathy are essential to teaching. An educator needs the ability to understand the myriad difficulties faced by students, and the frustration that can come with it. Only then can they help students move forward.