Fulbright Scholar
January 2023 - October 2023
At Tsabong Unified Secondary School, a boarding school in rural Botswana, I taught four English classes and one Literature class, each with over 30 students. In addition, I spearheaded an international book drive that successfully raised over 1,200 novels for the school's library, which previously had fewer than 400 books. Alongside my teaching responsibilities, I managed online operations for the Kgalagadi Women’s Empowerment Centre and advised two secondary school students as they prepared for participation in several international conferences.
Fulbright Alum Mentor
June 2024 - July 2024
As an Alum Mentor, I prepared the 2025 cohort of Fulbright English Teaching Assistants in Sub-Saharan Africa during their Pre-Departure Orientation. I worked alongside a regional expert to share insights into the classroom culture and school norms in Botswana where I completed my Fulbright grant. I offered advice on navigating school administration and addressing classroom challenges and covered essential topics such as life at host institutions, academic resources, housing and living conditions, health and wellness, finances, transportation, and collaboration with the U.S. Embassy.
With 30 months of teaching experience in both primary and secondary schools, I have developed a diverse skill set in supporting students across a wide range of age groups and learning needs. In addition to my work as a classroom teacher, I’ve also served as an attendance officer, tracking daily attendance records, identifying patterns of absenteeism or tardiness, and ensuring accurate data entry into the appropriate attendance system.
My experiences in Special Education (SPED) and as a behavioral specialist have been particularly rewarding, where I tailored my approach to ensure every student could thrive. I also bring valuable library knowledge, which has allowed me to guide students in effective, responsible library behaviors. Outside the classroom, I took on the role of lighting and sound designer for the musical Mamma Mia! and regularly volunteer for a high school basketball booster club. These experiences have enhanced my ability to collaborate across departments and community organizations, creating a supportive and dynamic learning environment.
Naturalist & Dock Representative, Alaska Tales
Jun 2018 - Jul 2021
For three operational seasons, I educated travelers about Alaska’s marine wildlife on 48+ passenger boats, providing engaging and informative tours. In addition to my naturalist duties, I scheduled up to 42 whale watching and glacier excursions per week, and facilitated customer service and sales, ensuring smooth operations and exceptional guest experiences.
Front End Supervisor, Alaska Tales
Apr 2024 - Sep 2024
In addition to my previous operational tasks, I adopted the additional responsibilities of scheduling employees, including drivers, to ensure smooth operations and high standards of service. My new role also involved reviewing timesheets to maintain accurate records of employee hours and overseeing daily activities in our downtown operations. Additionally, I was also on-call 24/7 for emergency situations.
Orientation Adventure Leader, Pitzer Orientation
Aug 2019 - Sep 2019
I led the planning and execution of a 2½-day trip for new students, designed to foster meaningful relationships between students while exploring the diverse landscapes of Southern California. I managed the logistics for this trip, which included backpacking in the local mountains, offering both novice and moderate levels to accommodate students' varying experience with the outdoors.
Orientation Adventure Coordinator, Pitzer Orientation
Jul 2021 - Aug 2021
As a coordinator for Pitzer College's New Student Orientation, I led the planning, implementation, and logistics for over 40 Orientation Adventure (OA) trips, providing outdoor experiences for more than 500 undergraduate students. I also coordinated the multi-day training for over 80 OA leaders, ensuring they were well-prepared to guide and support their groups.
Event Programmer, Pitzer Activities
Sep 2017 - Dec 2019
In this role, I was responsible for the end-to-end planning, coordination, and execution of engaging on-campus and off-campus extracurricular and recreational events for collegiate students. I successfully organized and ran the highly popular weekly campus event series called Snackie Snack.
Chair of Programming Board, Pitzer Activities
Aug 2021 - Dec 2021
In fulfillment of this position, I was responsible for the overall management of the programming board which included the facilitation of regular meetings and the responsibility for assigning programming tasks to various board members. I had to keep regular minutes and submit funding requests to the Student Senate’s budgetary committee.
Publications
CalMatters College Journalism Network
Photographed and shadowed several formerly incarcerated students participating in a prison bachelors degree program.
The Cutting EDge: Stanford’s Undergraduate Journal of Education Research
Authored a policy proposal on the implementation of trauma-informed education within youth carceral facilities in Los Angeles County.
Independent
Developed a collaborative role-playing game for 2-4 players that focuses on world-building and societal evolution, using random Discovery Questions and Game Changers to explore how and why events shape fictional societies, rather than simply what happens.
Awards & Honors