I love learning and have the record to prove it: I have a degree in Marine Biology (University of North Carolina) and have worked  as a scientific research assistant; I have a degree in Law (cum laude, University of Pittsburgh School of Law) and practiced commercial litigation (at the law firm Lewis and Roca, here in Phoenix);  I am a certified, "Highly Qualified," (yes, that's an actual thing) teacher with Middle School Language Arts and Gifted endorsements.  I have two children, (a daughter who recently graduated from the University of Kansas , and a son who is a sophomore at ASU) both of whom are products of Kyrene’s gifted program.  In my “spare” time I like to do taxidermy, go fishing, paint, garden, cook, and read - I am never bored!  I only watch TV if the Steelers are playing.

Julie Perks and I continue to be thrilled with our innovative specialization model; I teach Language Arts, Writing, and Social Studies to both the 4th and 5th grade gifted students, and she teaches Math, Science, and Health.  We've had a few years to work through all the details of this model, and we are always finding ways to improve!