ABOUT

I am an education writer, specializing in science and environmental education. Underlying everything I do is my unshakable belief both in the power of nature as a teacher and in the unlimited potential of the human mind and spirit.

My personal connection to nature has always provided me a deep sense of hope. I believe that by giving learners rich, meaningful experiences in and about nature, they will come to a greater understanding of their connection to the world and of their place in it.

I also believe that education is a life-long process that can fuel growth and change throughout a person’s life. By inspiring and motivating learners, educators not only teach skills and concepts, but also instill a love of learning and plant the seeds for life-long education.

Based on these beliefs, I am committed to developing learning experiences that help learners explore the world in engaging and meaningful ways. For both face-to-face and on-line settings, my goal is to bring the outdoors in and the indoors out, expanding learning beyond the classroom or screen.

Background

After receiving a BA in Biology from UC San Diego, I spent two years with the Peace Corps in Nepal, where I taught math and science in a remote secondary school. In my classroom, I created hands-on activities to help students grasp abstract concepts, using basic materials I found around the village. I built on that experience as an elementary teacher at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle.

Realizing that I loved sharing ideas with educators as much as the classroom, I honed my writing and editing skills through University of Washington’s Scientific and Technical Communication program and became a curriculum developer for the Seattle Aquarium. I studied instructional design at San Francisco State University, where I received an MA in Education, and earned a Graduate Certificate in e-Learning Development from Portland State University.

I have been working independently as an education writer for more than two decades.

Location

I currently live in Portland, Oregon, and work with clients all over the United States. When I’m not at my computer writing, you might find me hiking the trails around Portland, working in my garden, or training for a half-marathon.