DEDICATED EDUCATOR

MY STORY

I wasn’t asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was simply told to go to college. ​

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As a first-generation college student, the message was clear: college was the goal, the destination. The path ahead wasn’t always clear, but it was paved with hope, determination, and the belief that education would open doors.

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​So I chose a school that offered me a full scholarship—not because I had all the answers, but because it felt like the opportunity I had been waiting for. Thankfully, it turned out to be the right place, the right time, and the beginning of something much bigger than I realized.​

I majored in math because I was good at it. Simple as that. It wasn’t until my senior year that I paused long enough to ask, “What do I actually want to do with this?” That one question changed everything.​

After graduation, I worked part-time as a bank teller and taught ballet classes—jobs that gave me structure, but not quite a sense of purpose. Still, one thing was clear: I wanted to give back to the place that had given me so much. I returned to my alma mater to work in admissions, and over the next few years, climbed the ladder to become an Assistant Director.​

But I’m someone who thrives on growth. I knew I needed to challenge myself in new ways, so I headed to graduate school in New York City. For seven years, I wore many hats within the college system—roles that offered prestige and responsibility, but pulled me farther away from what I loved most: working one-on-one with students. The higher I climbed, the more I missed that human connection.​

So I came home.​

For the past 14 years, I’ve been exactly where I belong—as a college counselor, walking alongside students as they ask the big questions I never knew I could ask: What lights me up? What kind of environment helps me thrive? What path do I actually want to follow?​

As an Explorer at heart, I don’t chart cookie-cutter routes—I help students discover their own. Together, we uncover what matters most, build college lists rooted in self-awareness, and make decisions with confidence and clarity. Because college isn’t the destination—it’s a launchpad. And I’m here to make sure students take off with purpose, not just momentum.