I’m currently in my 19th year teaching English and drama at the middle school level. As someone who always struggled in school, it is somewhat unexpected that I ended up with a career in education! But I’ve always felt that my own difficulties become opportunities when I use them to help students who are struggling to achieve their goals. My favorite moments are when I can help a student unlock their imagination and create magic, whether through their writing, on the stage, or wherever their heart takes them.

I recently started to feel the pull to find a new professional opportunity, and I used the strategies of design thinking and the book Designing Your Life to determine what’s next for me. I discovered that the parts I love most about being a teacher – especially working one-on-one with students – can all be found in coaching.

With the mentorship of my sister Hannah, I enrolled in JST’s Empowering Students Through Coaching course, and I am now on my way to being certified as a coach. I’m excited to begin this new path, and I’m especially excited to partner with my clients to unlock their greatest potential.