I’ve spent my entire career in education, starting with ten years in the classroom where I taught, designed programs, and stayed connected to what students really need. During that time, I was honored as Teacher of the Year, which meant a lot because it reflected the relationships and impact that mattered most to me.

After that, I stepped into leadership and served in a variety of roles. The most rewarding role was when I co-founded a public school in California that operates outside of the traditional classroom model. I became CEO during a time of big change and helped lead the school through real growth. We built strong Career Technical Education pathways, expanded access to the Arts and Athletics, and created a student-centered model grounded in voice, choice, and belonging. The school was recognized as a California Distinguished School, named to the California Honor Roll, and showed measurable gains in student achievement specifically for traditionally underserved students

It was there that I was first introduced to virtual reality as a learning tool. I saw how powerful it could be in helping students connect with content in new and meaningful ways. That moment sparked something that’s now central to my work.

Today I serve as Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Illuminate XR. We create immersive learning experiences that bring together virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and neuroscience to make learning more personal, more engaging, and built for the future students are walking into. Everything I lead is grounded in a belief that learning should feel human and that systems should always reflect the people they serve.

Beliefs That Guide My Work: Innovation must stay grounded in human experience. Technology is powerful, but people drive change If what we need doesn’t exist, we build it

Mission: To lead education systems that center students, empower educators, and drive meaningful progress through innovation.