Above all else, I am a learner and an explorer of ideas--captivated by the connections between people as much as the links between ideas. I believe in the human desire and capacity to evolve and I appreciate the chance to work with individuals and organizations as they go through that process. I believe that when our work connects to our deepest values and highest aspirations, that is when we find it most meaningful and are our most creative.
I was a high school English and Humanities teacher for 10 years and combined that role with those of mentor, program director, Department Chair and Assistant Principal before focusing solely on the leadership roles of secondary school Principal and Dean of Curriculum and Program. In recent years, my work as a school coach has allowed me to support other school and system leaders in implementing and sustaining positive change in their schools. In my work, I have focused on the following skills and projects:
- managing significant change processes
- coaching new teachers and new leaders
- designing and facilitating sustained, meaningful professional development
- building deep understanding and collective buy-in
- defining and enhancing professional culture
- analyzing and using data to improve performance
- providing meaningful feedback as a supervisor
- prioritizing, goal setting and time management
Training and Education:
Coaches Training Institute (CTI): Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC)
International Coach Federation (ICF): Member
School Reform Initiative (SRI) trained coach and facilitator
School Leadership Courses, The Principal's Residency Network, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Master of Arts in Teaching, English grades 7-12, Brown University, Providence, RI
Klingenstein Summer Institute, Teacher's College, Columbia University, New York, NY
Bachelor of Arts in English and American Studies, Amherst College, Amherst, MA
Interests:
Yoga: During my first year as a high school principal, the stress began to take a physical toll. I turned to yoga first as a way to manage that stress and some physical aches and pains. Over the last 10+ years, I have come to appreciate it for the physical as well as the mental aspects of the practice and have completed training as a classroom assistant and as a teacher.
Cooking: Something about settling into the kitchen with a recipe or two really is relaxing to me. There is something about the precision and the coordination as well as the opportunity and need to wing it a little bit, all in the name of the creative process, that resonates with me.
A Good Story: I am a sucker for a great story--whether it is written on paper, told around the dinner table or projected on the big screen. I can't help but get sucked in. Searching for great stories, I spend some time with mediocre ones but that only helps me to appreciate the great ones even more. Some of my favorite stories include The Great Gatsby, Death of a Salesman, Olive Kittredge, Do the Right Thing, Pleasantville, When Harry Met Sally, American Beauty and many others.
