I have always been a lover of knowledge and knew that life would take me on the path of being able to share my love of knowledge with others. As an educator, I love being able to pour into others in a manner that expands who they are, whether it is educationally, emotionally, personally, or spiritually. As a first generation college completer, I enjoy sharing my journey in hopes that my path encourages others along the way. I am also a strong advocate for bridging the gap in racial, social, economic, educational, and gender inequalities.

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I am a wife, mother of two, sister, daughter, and friend to many. As a native of Tampa, FL, I enjoy giving back to my community and networking with other change agents throughout the Tampa Bay area. I am extremely passionate about mentorship and can often be found investing in the lives of teen girls through my mentoring groups The Princess Project and GiGi's (Girls in God's Image). Both mentoring groups focus on fostering positive character development within pre-teen and teenage girls. In additional to working with youth, I also mentor rising leaders in education and Doctoral candidates.

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My 15+ years in education includes serving in classroom instructional and leadership roles. Currently, as an assistant professor at The University of Tampa, I work to train rising school leaders as a faculty member and program coordinator for the Master's in Educational Leadership program. With a Master's and Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from the University of South Florida, my research areas include culturally responsive leadership, teacher leadership, dispositions assessment, and leadership in high needs schools. 

 

I also serve as a Diversity and Inclusion Consultant and have worked with local charter and private schools in the Tampa Bay area within this capacity.