From age 3-10, my family lived in a community outside of London, England, called Weybridge, Surrey. We relocated from the UK to Saginaw, MI (quite the culture shock), for 5 years, finally settling in Naperville, Illinois in 2003 I lived around Naperville during my high school years and throughout college and my first years of employment until eventually moving to Oceanside, California in 2014.

I’ve thought quite deeply about this area of the webpage, and have to say, it’s quite difficult to sum up your life in a simple, “About” section on a website. I figure I’ll do my best to share what’s important to me, as I’ve found that these elements have shaped who I am as a person. Like many others, I feel the most important part of my life are my family and friends. I recognize I wouldn’t be where I am today without their constant love, support, disagreements and tiffs- these experiences, along with a combination of others, culminate to create who I am.

Another major aspect of my life that I have come to know and develop a deep love for over the past 25 years is the game of hockey. My greatest memories are from the rink or involve individuals who I’ve met through this game. Although hockey is considered just a game, any true hockey player will express that it is much more than a simple game. Hockey provides the opportunity to develop lifelong friends, learn lessons of triumphs and defeat, and escape the brutal realities of the real world (even just for a little bit). When you lace up the skates and hear the ice crunching beneath each stride, you know you’ve been elevated to a different realm. I owe a tremendous amount to the game of hockey- she’s the ultimate beauty. Finally, being involved in the special education community as a teacher has been a privilege and a unique experience.