Staff Spotlight

I was born and raised on the island of Kauai, where I was actively involved in my school—serving on student council, key club, chorus, and performing in musical theatre. During my senior year of high school, I volunteered at our elementary school and taught music to fifth grade classes during the school day. I was also honored to receive Kauai’s Young Woman of the Year Award, which helped to pay for my first year of college at the University of Northern Colorado. I earned a Bachelor in Music Education with an emphasis in voice and general music.

Following college, I moved to New Jersey where I substitute taught for a year, and taught choral and general music in grades pre-K through eight for four years. During that time, I was very active in the middle-school choral scene, and brought dozens of children to perform in regional and state honor choirs. I also managed and hosted the choirs. In the summer of 2004, I completed my final level of certification at NYU in the Kodály music methodology, which greatly influences my teaching.

In 2006, I moved to Chicago and started teaching at Nettelhorst. Here, I am the Music Specialist and one of two Magnet Cluster Lead Teachers at this Fine and Performing Arts Magnet Cluster School. I wear many hats at Nettelhorst, including teaching general music to our entire population, directing extra-curricular music programs, coordinating assemblies, working on and facilitating fine arts grants, coordinating this year’s International Fest, and providing professional development to teachers. I am also continuing my own training by working toward my certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and I am looking forward to beginning my Orff methodology training with level 1 certification this summer. I love Chicago and working with the students at Nettelhorst. I look forward to their continued musical growth and the growth and strengthening of our music and other fine arts programs.