Biography

I have had a passion for education and discovery through learning for as long as I can remember. Through high school I collaborated with groups of students in art, English, and choir classes to provide tutoring and help them to unlock greater levels of understanding. Guiding students through their own educational discoveries is core to my teaching philosophy.

A Northern California native, I grew up in the Napa Valley with a passion for museums, nature, and music. I graduated from UC Berkeley triple-majoring in art history, film and media, and ancient middle eastern cultures and languages. My studies focused on the way art and media interact with the natural world and built environments. One of the great joys of being at Berkeley was having the ability to take the reins on my educational experience and transform my understanding of art, media, and the world at large.

I was able to study topics as diverse as global horror cinema, Danish philosophy in film, Egyptian hieroglyphs. I also had the opportunity to organize student film festivals at the Berkeley Art Museum and curate art exhibitions for UC Berkeley’s Doe Library. A highlight of my Berkeley career was teaching a Democratizing Education at Cal (DeCal) course that focused on Decolonizing Art History. I designed the course specifically for non-art history majors. Being able to teach students about my passion for art strengthened my belief in how important teaching and education are to me.

Teaching history and English are my favorite subjects to tutor, as I believe that these skills are of core importance to everyone’s educational journey. Being able to understand and wield rhetoric is key to communication, education, and confidence. It is important to me that students have a grasp on English skills before college, so they are prepared to effectively communicate the depth of their opinions and discoveries.

As an Art History major, I am also deeply interested in history, and love getting to share the bountiful complexities of the past with young learners. As a tutor my goal is to listen to students’ needs, personalizing the tutoring experience, and allow their skills to emerge and flourish. I truly love working with students and helping them discover a love of learning.

Outside of my time at AJ, I enjoy reading biographies about films and filmmakers, watching world cinema, and flipping through the stacks at record stores to add to my vinyl collection.