I graduated from Colorado State University with a BA in Communications and a minor in Women's Studies. I sincerely had the desire to work around kids/ young adults and positively influence them, the same way my teachers had influenced me. I began working toward becoming certified in the state of Texas through an alternative certification program. I will be certified after my internship ends in December 2009. It was important for me to become a part of the Athletics Department - namely, coaching volleyball. I was given the opportunity to work with both the high school and middle school volleyball teams. A few months later I was brought on a Khabele's very first intern. I consider it an honor to be a part of this amazing community. My experience with volleyball includes approximately 15 years of either being an active player or coach. I've coached at both the public school and club levels in Colorado. In December, I am getting married to an amazing man - my best friend. Maui here we come!  In my free time I enjoy working out/ exercising, cooking, traveling, reading and practicing Spanish.

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I’m in my third year at Khabele, and I absolutely love it. In addition to teaching Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science, last year I started the Outdoor Leadership Program here at Khabele. A few career highlights include:  sampling “Gatorade” yellow groundwater at a Superfund toxic waste sight in Baltimore; four weeks of field work in Bangladesh researching the Ganges River delta; watching humpback whales breach while sampling “Ice Age” marine sediment on two trips to Antarctica; presenting original research at Cambridge University that was written-up in the journal Science and Discover.com; and publishing five peer-reviewed papers on the history of glacial retreat of the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet, a global warming “hot spot.” One of my proudest accomplishments was starting Blackwood Nature Camp with my wife in Hempstead, TX. I have a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from Rice University, a M.S. in Marine Science from William and Mary, and a B.A. in Geology from Colgate University. I have a beautiful wife named Erica and a one-year-old daughter named Cleo, and we all love hiking and swimming in and around Austin.

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I truly admire people who have a passion for Mathematics. I am engrossed with mathematics, but my passion is helping young people form important questions—even (or perhaps especially) the most trivial. I still possess a journal entry from fourth grade that described a completely unique way of testing whether one number divided another. I held on to my strange invention until a college professor finally helped me algebraically prove its truth. I invented a way to multiply infinitely big numbers by 5 almost instantaneously. Sometimes the most trivial processes can be described very eloquently mathematically. As far as my professional background, I earned my BA in Mathematics from Baylor University, and my MA from the University of Texas in Mathematics Education. I worked as a statistical analyst while attending graduate school. I also lead a summer robotics course for elementary-aged children hosted by the Austin Children's Museum. This year, I will be teaching AP Statistics, Algebra II, 6th grade Mathematics, as well as leading a Robotics camp and coaching basketball.

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As the daughter of a P.I. in the Air Force, my early childhood involved a lot of travel. I've lived all over—everywhere from large, vibrant cities like Tokyo, Japan to microscopic Midwest towns like Knob Noster, Missouri. For the past ten years I have resided in Austin, Texas which I find to be a delightful mix of "city life" and "small town familiarities." I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in education and a certification in elementary education. Soon after, I accepted a job with KIPP Austin College Prep teaching fifth grade mathematics. Because the campus itself is relatively small, I was able to make connections with many of the older students over my three years there. However, I was still anxious to explore different teaching styles and methodologies. Upon voicing this, one of my former co-workers suggested I do some research about the Khabele School and see if the mission statement aligned with what I was after. After meeting with Khotso and seeing the campus, I knew I had found a school that would allow me to plant my roots and grow into a well-rounded teacher. I have finished by first year teaching at Khabele and am inspired and excited to start my second year!  I will be teaching Pre-algebra, Algebra I, Well-being 101, and Global Science. In my free time I love to hang out with my Chihuahua, Junior and try out new recipes in the kitchen.

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My heart-centered approach to youth facilitation and teaching has opened doors for me all around the world. Within the past eight years, I have been fortunate enough to travel to over five different countries teaching Capoiera Angola classes and facilitating youth programs for schools and non-profits. I have developed and led service projects, camps, after school programs, international exchanges, conferences, youth groups, healing arts classes, talking circles and now curriculum development, and teaching at the Khabele School. My focus has been to inspire and encourage young people to engage in self-discovery. Guided by the teachings of my ancestors, I have devoted myself completely to creating safe, healthy and empowering spaces for youth to recognize their inner potential and their own personal design. All of this is done through the creative and healing arts of dance, musicality, self-defense, and awareness of holistic health. My teachings are rooted in the principles of responsibility, courage, appreciation and respect. This is my second year at Khabele and I will be teaching Capoiera Angola and High School Health. My wife and I have had the wonderful opportunity of developing the character curriculum that will be offered to the Khabele staff and students this year. I am very enthusiastic about the infinite potential of life and all that is being offered to us right now.

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I was born and raised in Fort Worth, another great town straddling another lazy Texas river. I moved to Austin in 1995 to study philosophy at the University of Texas and quickly changed my mind in favor of a 6-month walkabout through the national forests of the western United States. I discovered new dimensions of self-confidence, honesty, and reverence through the simple and elemental challenges of daily life in the wilderness. I consider this experience my rite of passage into young adulthood, and it has inspired in me a fierce devotion to the wild places in our world and our selves. Upon my return to Austin, I spent ten years studying qigong, bodywork, music, and yoga while finishing my Philosophy degree at UT. During this period I made a living by managing a qigong school comprised of over 200 students in five states, and later as an employee at the Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin. All of these experiences helped shape my approaches to both individual and organizational well-being, and served as litmus tests for my beliefs about business, education, and community. I am truly grateful to the courageous and dedicated mentors I was privileged to work with during this time. It was also during this period that I became interested in identity, group dynamics, and organizational development. These interests, combined with several strokes of good luck, led me to Systems-Centered Training, a theory-driven set of methods for organizational and personal development. I have been a student of this approach for over five years, and continue to be amazed at its utility and elegance. 2010-2011 will be my fourth year at Khabele. Since 2006, I have at various times taught, advised, and served as Dean of the High School and Assistant Director. This year, I’ve decided to complete my Master’s degree in counseling, and I’m happily returning to the classroom while I do so. I am deeply grateful to work with such inspiring students and staff.

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