I am a seasoned educator and leader with experience teaching college, high school, middle school, and international students.
In my current role as an English Language Fellow with the U.S. State Department in Nukus, Uzbekistan, I am responsible for instructing a diverse cadre of English Second Language learners and training faculty and administration in current English Language Learner curriculum and assessment strategies. My primary duties include teaching classes for third and fourth year teaching students at Nukus Pedagogical Institute. Secondary duties and/or projects include organizing, facilitating and keynote speaking at TESOL conferences in Central Asia, teaching free workshops at language schools, organizing, developing, and coaching the first ever Women’s Sports Club at Nukus Pedagogical Institute, facilitating professional development for teachers and administrators at Nukus Pedagogical Institute and Urgench State University, and working alongside the local community to promote English language acquisition and shared cultural experiences.
The professional experience I have gained during my time as an educator, small business owner, professional baseball player, consultant, coach, researcher, and law enforcement officer has helped me to create strong support and engagement strategies for a diverse student population, while improving my overall cultural awareness and responsiveness. Further, my completed doctoral research focused on the effects of teacher self-efficacy on English language learner assessment practices and the role professional development has in developing equitable grading strategies. This type of action research continues to be a main priority in my ongoing journey to serve the learner population through equitable access to all facets of education.