Auto Bio of High Points until 2009

As early as 5th grade, I became captain of the honor guard of Patrols in my hometown of San Antonio Texas. In middle school & high school I competed in the National Forensic League; I experienced triumph & defeat in tournament standard impromptu speech, extemporaneous, Lincoln Douglas, & cross-examination debate. My fund of knowledge contains fond memories of leadership in school-wide organizations.

Between high school and college, I spent a year in Israel learning and living on kibbutz where I gained a global perspective. I came back and attended the University of Texas at Austin. I’m proud of my extracurricular achievments there; I was the Senior Music Director, Program Manager, and deejayed host of a popular radio at 100% student-run station, KVRX. In the year 2000, the Austin Chronicle awarded me “Best Evening Radio Host of Austin” based on a local annual poll. Additionally, I was esteemed by serving Texas as a Governor’s Fellow which meant that I was 1 of 50 of the “Texas Best” in the year 2000. 

A few days after completing my Bachelor’s degree I moved to San Francisco for a job  and I stayed there for almost four years when that Dot Com bubble burst. I then moved to Miami Beach for where I managed public relations and community outreach programs for the largest PR firm in the world. One year later and almost thirteen years ago, I fulfilled a lifelong dream of living in NYC where I continued a professional career as a Community Organizer & Account Executive. I did all of these things alone. No one moved me to these cities of dreams. I did that on my own.

After six years living in New York City I officially ended my nomadic life. It may sound silly that it was a chance encounter with a subway ad which inspired me to apply for the NYC Teaching Fellows program and give back to the city I adore the most. Once again I must have stood out… because of the many that applied and auditioned. I was part of the 3.5% of applicants accepted into the 2009 NYCTF cohort. Since then, I cultivated a passion for educating urban youth. I completed my Master’s degree in 2 years, while facilitating a brand-new career as a full-time middle school special education teacher, meeting and marrying my husband and giving birth to my first of two children. January 2018 will make 13 years in NYC... To Be Continued...