I am currently employed as the Compliance Coordinator in the Avondale Elementary School District. My role entails providing training and monitoring of all aspects of compliance, communicating with Arizona Department of Education, and supporting new or inexperienced special education professionals. I was previously employed with the Arizona Department of Education in Exceptional Student Services.  I served as the State Systemic Improvement Plan Coordinator, overseeing a state-wide, collaborative project to improve literacy outcomes for students with disabilities in Arizona. As a Lead Specialist, I also supported other program specialists with training in providing support and monitoring to schools throughout the state. Additionally, I managed a caseload of district and charter schools providing supports in meeting regulations in special education compliance through monitoring and technical assistance.   

 

Prior to moving to Arizona, I was employed at Utah Virtual Academy.  First as a 4th/5th resource teacher before being promoted two and a half years ago to the role of Transition Coordinator.  I also recently completed a MEd program at Utah State in special education with a focus on transition for students with low-incidence disabilities (currently 4.0 GPA).   I am a Level 2 educator in the state of Utah and am in the process of obtaining my Arizona teacher certification.

 

I began my teaching career serving two years as the supervising teacher at a one-room school house in rural Montana.  I taught up to eighteen students, including students with special needs and ELLs, in kindergarten through eighth grade in all subject areas.  After relocating back to Texas, I spent one year teaching 6th grade writing in Calallen, and two years teaching math, science, and creative writing to 5th graders in Corpus Christi, TX.  I then spent a year in Thailand volunteering to teach English to Thai and Burmese adults, in addition to creating conservation curriculum for Reef Check Thailand.  In Maui, I taught special education inclusion in grades K-8, including students enrolled in a virtual program, as well as a section of middle school language arts.  I spent three years in Kerrville, TX, educating 6th grade special education students in the full inclusion setting. In this role, I have worked closely with teachers in all core subject areas to ensure the success of my special education inclusion students.  I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Sam Houston State University in 2002 with a BS in Academic Studies (minor in English.)

 

In my previous position as the Transition Coordinator at Utah Virtual, I work with high school students with disabilities across the state in preparing for adult life.  In this role, I have developed our program extensively from improving both Indicator 13 (IEP transition plan compliance) and 14 (post-school outcomes) results for our school, fostered relationships with students, parents, and outside agencies, written and evaluated high school transition plans, and provided students with opportunities to explore careers, post-secondary institutions, and their communities through community based instruction. 

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