¡Hola! Welcome, and thank you for taking the time to discover who I am. I’m originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, and I grew up in a Latin American family as the oldest of three siblings. I love to read historical fiction, visit museums, see Broadway musicals, and travel. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to travel to Ireland, Mexico, Haiti, Austria, Germany, Spain, England, Nicaragua, Macedonia, Greece, Hungary, Albania, Peru, and Puerto Rico. All of these trips centered on volunteer work with children. I also spent time living in Kosovo teaching first grade, and caring for children and making sure every student has the opportunity to learn remains a deep value for me.

I will always do my part to spread and ignite a love for learning. This passion led to my decision to pursue teaching, coming from a desire to create a classroom where children are heard, valued, and empowered. I want my students to know that their thoughts and ideas matter and can have an impact on others—that their voices are important and powerful!

The 2026–2027 school year marks my 14th year working with children and my 10th year teaching. Now in my sixth year as the Lead Preschool Teacher at St. Helen Elementary School in Dayton, Ohio, I am also continuing my leadership role as the Preschool Assistant Director for both St. Helen Elementary and Immaculate Conception Schools. Entering my second year in this blended leadership capacity, I will continue my hands-on work in the St. Helen classroom while collaborating closely with parents, teachers, and administrators to help shape warm, supportive, and comprehensive preschool programs tailored to meet the needs of every child across both schools.

I am grateful for the opportunity to combine my passion for classroom teaching with responsibilities in preschool leadership, curriculum development, teacher mentorship, and program support. Whether I am working directly with children in the classroom or collaborating with educators and families across our preschool programs, my focus remains the same: creating meaningful learning experiences and helping our youngest learners feel safe, supported, valued, and excited to learn.

Prior to my time at St. Helen, I served as the Lead Preschool and Childcare Teacher at Christ United Methodist Church Preschool in Kettering, Ohio, and as the Lead Preschool Teacher at St. Aloysius Gonzaga School in Cincinnati, Ohio. Earlier in my career, I gained valuable perspective teaching First Grade at Prishtina High School in Kosovo. I also previously served as the Lead Preschool Teacher at ABC Preschool in Cincinnati, Ohio. My teaching journey officially began with student teaching in a Kindergarten classroom at J.F. Dulles Elementary in Cincinnati, Ohio.

My academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education and Biblical Studies from Cincinnati Christian University, complemented by graduate work in Reading Science at Mount St. Joseph University. I am a highly qualified and licensed educator, holding a state license to teach Pre-K through Grade 3. My qualifications also include an outstanding edTPA score of 47, reflecting my strong foundation in instructional planning, teaching, and assessment.

With more than a decade devoted to educating and caring for children, I remain deeply committed to fostering student success, supporting fellow educators, partnering with families, and helping shape the next generation of learners. Above all, I strive to ensure that every child who enters our preschool program knows that they are seen, heard, valued, capable, and an important part of our school community.