Fun Facts

I’m fluent in Romanian, took second place in a state yo-yo competition back in high school, and own over 50 Frisbees, as I'm a passionate disc golfer who’s always up for a round on the course!

About Me

I'm a proud parent of two amazing teenagers and a ten-year-old German Shepherd-Lab mix. My wife and I are both educators and love spending time outdoors.
I graduated in 2011 from Northern Arizona University (NAU) with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education, which led to over a decade of teaching. I then went back to grad school at NAU, where I earned my master's and became an Educational Specialist in School Psychology, and completed my training with a 3.7 GPA.

Experience

I began my teaching career in 2011 with a memorable (and humbling!) year in kindergarten. While it wasn’t my first choice, it turned out to be an incredible learning experience. I deeply admire early childhood educators, but I quickly realized my heart belonged with older students. From there, I transitioned to teaching 5th grade through high school across a wide range of communities, from under-resourced districts to more affluent areas. These diverse experiences shaped my teaching philosophy.

Approach

During my years in education, I’ve had the opportunity to learn from some of the most talented educators across the country. I follow best practices and current research in the classroom. I put a lot of emphasis on modeling for students before they move into independent practice.

One perspective that deeply resonated with me came from a National Teacher of the Year, who redefined the classic “Three R’s” of education as Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships.