What is your education background?
I attended the College of Saint Rose and then SUNY Albany for graduate school. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher and language became a passion too.
What is your background like – previous jobs?
I am originally from Duanesburg, and had been living in Rochester, NY for the past 10 years, teaching in a suburb, Webster, NY. I wanted to move back to the capital region to be closer to my family again and was so lucky this job was available and the perfect fit for me! I started learning Spanish in high school and became fluent when I lived in Spain for six months in 2002, during college. I also studied in Costa Rica for a month in grad school.
What are your interests outside of school?
I travel often. I try to go on a big trip every summer. Two years ago, I did a hiking pilgrimage called the Camino de Santiago- over 500 miles across northern Spain. This past summer I stayed in the US and did a 20-day road trip- hiked and camped in four national parks and visited many cities (Nashville, San Antonio, New Orleans, and others). I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes as a senior in high school and have lived with it healthily for 17 years. I wear an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor. This is a huge part of who I am and I try to be active in the Type 1 community in the US.
I am excited to become a part of the New Lebanon community and share my passion for inspiring students to learn Spanish!