Education: I received my Bachelor’s degree from Hope College and my Elementary Teaching Licensure from Colorado Christian University. My Master’s degree in Educational Administration is from the University of Michigan. I am a Certified Trauma Practitioner in Education as well as a Community Champion with the Michigan ACE Initiative. I am trained in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, Cognitive Coaching, and am a certified trainer of Restorative Practices.

 

Professional Experience: I am passionate about supporting kids and their families in the context of their schools. I am certified as a classroom teacher and a school administrator and have spent the past 15 years navigating the ins and outs of our educational systems. I have taught students from early childhood through college and in settings ranging from daycare centers to residential treatment facilities. 

 

In my work as Educational Advisor for Trauma Informed Communities, I am able to come alongside schools and community organizations to help them build capacity and take their next steps toward becoming more trauma-informed in both their policies and their practices. I provide professional development, training, coaching, and consulting that equips all adults (educators and caregivers) to understand the roots of behavior and to work with students in a way that prioritizes connection, regulation, and safety.  Over the past 6 years, I have provided trauma-informed and resilience-focused scaffolding and support for hundreds of schools, universities, churches, and community organizations across the state of Michigan and beyond.

 

Personal Blurb: I am an adoptive and biological parent; a competitive runner; a voracious reader; and a coffee enthusiast. I am an introvert; married to an extrovert; and mom to three of the most energetic and enthusiastic children I’ve ever known!