Our Team

My commitment as an educator is to cultivate opportunities for students to engage in learning experiences that assist in their development as critically conscious members of society. Informed by the numerous teaching roles I have held over the past decade, and rooted in bell hooks’—influenced by Paulo Freire—engaged pedagogy, I envision myself as an educator whose teaching pedagogy and praxis enable dualistic learning by both the student and me, whereby the educational environment empowers students to engage in the process of self-actualization. Additionally, providing practical instruction that recognizes students as holistic individuals is paramount to my praxis. This is my Nindo or ninja way for those not familiar with the popular Japanese anime Naruto.

Furthermore, as James Baldwin reminds us, education should serve as a nexus where future knowledge producers gain a greater sense of self and understanding of the impact they can have upon society. Through providing effective instruction, recognizing students as holistic individuals, my teaching emphasizes the usage of multiple modalities that cater to various learning styles. Moreover, I seek to construct learning environments where self-reflection and self-actualization become intertwined within my teaching methods and curriculum. Such an environment is accomplished through (a) utilizing reflective journaling exercises, (b) providing collaborative learning activities, (c) providing opportunities for students to bridge theory to practice while engaging in group discussions.

Lastly, the term mentoring elicits varied thoughts and definitions to the point that it can be difficult to pinpoint what it means to mentor and be mentored. For me, mentoring connotes a mutually beneficial relationship where desired goals and outcomes impact all individuals; ultimately, the mentee gains the skills and knowledge to become a mentor to others. As a person who possesses several intersecting marginalized identities, mentoring has been a vital part of my success—both as a mentor and mentee. Therefore, I recognize its importance in providing opportunities to connect with students beyond the classroom setting to support their growth and development, affirm their individuality, and empower them to develop holistically continually. Whether formal or informal, my professional experiences and extensive network have positioned me to support students in their aspirations of obtaining gainful employment, transitioning to graduate school, in addition to successfully navigating academic and occupational environments that often lack self-representations.

The culmination of my pedagogical activities empowers students to deconstruct critical topics and related issues through the lens of their own lived experiences. However, working with diverse student populations requires an understanding and appreciation for culturally relevant pedagogy and an ability to provide an inclusive decolonized curriculum. Therefore, I continuously work to improve my effectiveness as an educator through staying current on relevant scholarship, attending professional development workshops, incorporating references from diverse disciplinary and pedagogical resources, as well as drawing upon my former professional networks and personal experiences as an academic advisor and athletic coach to enhance student learning.

Teaching and research are essential, but I also desire to continue to engage in activities beyond—but still connected to—the classroom setting that progresses our institution and resulting society towards a path which honors the distinctiveness within us all. Academic success cannot be cultivated in environments lacking self-representation and fail to challenge students to broaden their paradigms beyond what they entered college with. Therefore, as a scholar-educator-practitioner and institutional diversity officer, I recognize the need to continue growing my knowledge, skills, and capacities relating to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, while also modeling what it means to exist as your whole self within institutions of higher education.