After a decades-long career supporting youth in the non-profit sector and working with families as an educator and after-school care provider in Seattle, I left the workforce to chase another dream, returning to university.

I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with honors from Seattle University in 2016. Shortlisted for a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship in 2017, I was quickly accepted into a Master’s program in History and Global Cultures at the University of Bologna, Italy. I graduated with the highest distinction of 110/110 e lode in 2019. My passion has always been teaching, so I continued in academia, submitting my PhD dissertation in History at the University of Turin in 2024.

Moving to Italy transformed me in ways I never imagined. For the first time, I felt what it was like to lack the language required to fully live the life I envisioned. My journey as a second-language learner began in earnest and my path became clear. Now, as a CELTA-certified (Cambridge) English instructor, I draw on my experience to help students find the words today for the future they want tomorrow.