About

In short, I have lived an extraordinary life! I have had the privilege of living, working, and traveling in a total of 60 countries (from South Korea, to Spain, to Turkey, Thailand, and more), connecting with people from all over the world. Although I myself am an educator and learning designer, I have been able to learn from people of widely diverse backgrounds and cultures which has humbled me and given me great insights into life.

I was born in Miami, Florida to a hardworking and loving family of New Yorkers with a great sense of humor. I graduated from high school in South Florida and went on to Florida State University (FSU) where I befriended two amazing peers who started an award-winning international sustainable development organization called Global Peace Exchange (GPE). Through GPE and my close friendships with its inspiring leaders, I was able to get a taste of international work and life on projects in Thailand and Rwanda during the summer of my sophomore and junior years. As a result of the impact these incredible experiences had on me, I decided to move abroad to teach in South Korea after finishing university. 

While living and working in Korea, I had the opportunity to travel all around Asia as well as learn the Korean language. I realized my passion for education and decided to pursue a U.S. teaching license followed by a Master's in International Education with a specialization in cross-cultural training. I led travel learning programs for young adult participants from around the world throughout the U.S. and South Korea. I also embarked on a six month backpacking trip around the world (one of my personal life goals) where I traveled from Southeast Asia to Africa and the Middle East, traversing through all of central and southern Africa on an overland truck and camping along the way. It was a huge personal accomplishment! I ended up completing my trip in Istanbul, Turkey at the height of the Syrian refugee crisis where I found home for the next few years. I made many Syrian friends and gained first-hand insights into conflict in the region. This time was important for me because it led me to realize the privilege I had and how I could use it to provide opportunities for others through learning, training, and professional development.

I went on to live and work in Thailand for two years where I enrolled in a Master's in Instructional Design with my alma mater, FSU, and gained practical instructional design (ID) skills in the Applied Instructional Design Academy (AIDA). During this time, I applied all of the knowledge and skills in education and training to my ability to actively work with eLearning authoring tools and ID development. Besides creating learning experiences and personal learning & development, I am an avid photographer and musician. I have a passion for photography, music, fitness, spirituality & meditation, travel, and enjoying new experiences. You can learn more about me and see some of my photography and video production/editing skills in this wonderfully cheesy video I made to introduce myself to some of my learners!

Thank you for visiting my portfolio and caring to learn about me!