I grew up and worked in Chicago to develop Shedd Aquarium’s teen mentorship program which provided experiential leadership programs for teens. These youth development programs fostered a sense of self, cultivated leadership + life skills training, and provided personal + collaborative opportunities with aquarium professionals from exhibit designers to veterinarians to dolphin trainers. I spent 8 years mentoring + coaching high schoolers while they lived aboard a research vessel in the Bahamas… snorkeling among the Caribbean fishes and immersing themselves in Bahamian culture. Students were able to bridge those experiences back to their every day lives in Chicago. This approach to learning cemented my desire for providing students an expanded view of school and a deeper awareness of the world that existed beyond classroom walls. After completing a MS degree from Northeastern University, I joined Beaver for 10 years as a Middle School science teacher and brought my passion for global conservation to the curriculum as well as a meaningful connection to how it relates to the students’ lives. Community engagement, experiential learning, and civic responsibility are at the core of the expanded learning approach that I bring to my work in the Hiatt Center (which I began in 2014) as well as to my Upper School science courses. I reside in Roslindale with my two children who also attend Beaver Middle School.