I am a public interest lawyer who believes that education is essential to promoting the well-being of individuals and communities. After working as a certified TEFL instructor for adult learners in the Czech Republic, I came home to begin graduate studies in Education and became involved in community-based literacy nonprofits, helping immigrants and refugees gain the skills they needed to navigate life in a new country with new opportunities. Eventually, this work inspired me to become the first in my family to attend law school, where I provided over 500 hours of pro bono service while mastering the fundamentals of our legal system. Our public institutions can be arcane and confusing for people to navigate; in addition to attempting to educate others about how to engage with legal problems, I have also worked to improve legal policies and processes so as to be more accessible to all people. Throughout this work, my ongoing experience tutoring students of all ages in math, science, history, literature, language, SAT/ACT/LSAT test prep, and writing has continually reinforced my belief in education as fundamental to a strong society.

As an educator, I do not believe in a "one-size-fits-all" approach to learning; rather, I strive to understand each students' individual goals, motivations, strengths, and challenges, so together we can create successes that the student can be proud of. I believe in meeting students "where they are," without judgment but always with optimism. I celebrate neurodiversity and understand how past negative experiences with education and schooling can present barriers to learning. With compassion and empathy, I enjoy helping students develop a sense of accountability that supports, rather than inhibits, future growth. I especially enjoy helping students improve their writing skills, whether the product will be an academic paper, personal statement for college, cover letter, or a piece of creative writing. I also enjoy "demystifying" literature and bringing history to life, by engaging students' lived experiences as a lens for developing critical thinking around the experiences of others.