A subway ad changed my life. It said, "You remember your first grade teacher's name. Who will remember yours?" At the time I was working long hours as a market research analyst and I was trying to find purpose in what I did. That day on the subway I started wondering why I was wasting time doing something I did not feel passionate about. A few months later, I decided to apply to the program advertised on the subway: the New York City Teaching Fellows

As an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, I majored in psychology and communications. My education did not prepare me for what I was about to experience in my classroom. However, despite the challenges of my first year as a teacher, I fell in love with the profession. I love interacting with the students, creating lessons, and helping students succeed. Over the years I have taught middle school students in the South Bronx. This past year, I worked as a mathematics coach in a brand new middle school where I helped develop curriculum, analyze data, conduct professional development, and model best practices for teachers.

I am always looking for opportunities to push myself and my students to the next level. When New York City began forming action research teams a couple of years ago, I was asked to be a lead teacher on the team at my school. I jumped at this opportunity to conduct to study why some students were succeeding in class and others were not. Over the past few years, I have been able to observe student behavior and develop action plans to help all students achieve academic success despite the challenges they may face outside of the classroom.

My experience as a Classroom Teaching Ambassador this past year strengthened my desire to contribute to the educational policy discussion. The areas that interest me relate to teacher quality. In particular, I am interested in improving the retention of quality teachers in urban areas and developing alternative teacher compensation plans. Currently, I am working with Hope Street Group to develop policy recommendations for teacher evaluation plans.

Outside of work, I enjoy traveling and spending time with family and friends. This past year, I have traveled to Spain, and Antigua, and St. Lucia. I am also currently working a novel about, what else, teachers.