I am originally from Los Angeles, CA. I have always had a passion for words and language. I have been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. My love of teaching began to develop through volunteer work while in high school. I was a mentor for underprivileged students at a neighboring middle school through the El Espejo program for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Then, as an undergraduate student, I worked at the Writing and Tutoring Center at Loyola Marymount University and found that time very rewarding. I earned a tutoring certificate and found so much joy helping students improve their writing skills. As a first-generation college student, I understand the struggles many students face, and I genuinely want to help them succeed.
I completed my undergraduate and graduate studies in Los Angeles, CA at Loyola Marymount University in 2002 with a Master of Arts degree in English Literature. Upon graduating, I taught writing at California State University, Long Beach and Long Beach City College for a few years. My family and I moved to Mesquite, NV in 2006, and I then taught communications and writing courses at the College of Southern Nevada.
I began teaching at Utah Tech University as an adjunct instructor in 2011 and earned a full-time position as an Instructor of the Practice of English in 2018. I currently live in St. George and am so grateful to be part of the English Department on campus.