Born To Leap
I was on the phone with my mom the other day, just catching up on life. Somewhere in the middle of the conversation, we started talking about how different I am from my siblings. Not in a bad way, just in how I move through the world. She said I’ve always been the one who didn’t conform. Apparently, I came into this world asking questions, trying to solve problems, and stepping into leadership without hesitation. Even at two years old, I was already pushing boundaries.
I’ve never followed the expected path. I’ve taken the road that called to me, even when it didn’t make sense to anyone else. It hasn’t been easy, far from it, but it’s mine. The journey has been full of challenges, yet also filled with incredible people, unforgettable moments, and not a single regret. Along the way, I started to understand something deeper about myself; my drive wasn’t just about professional growth. It was about creating spaces where people like me, those who never quite fit the mold, could find purpose and be seen.
Looking back, my life has been one continuous adventure. I’ve taken bold steps, especially in my career. Most people wouldn’t expect a ten-year classroom teacher, someone holding an administrative credential and a lead intern title, to jump directly into a school principal role. That move came during a time when schools were still recovering from the 2008 recession, and lower-level administrative positions were nearly impossible to find.
I was nervous, but I trusted I could figure it out. I did. The schools I led showed real progress. Together, we made meaningful change. That work eventually led to a promotion to the District Office.
Life, of course, had other plans. When I lost my husband in 2013, everything shifted. It was one of those moments that quietly but completely reshaped my world. I had to pause and take a hard look at how I was balancing work and family, and what truly mattered most in that season of life. I needed to show up fully for my children, and I couldn’t do that while managing the weight of a District Office position.
The decision to step down from that position led me into the charter school world, a space I hadn’t planned for but quickly grew to understand. I spent two years working within a charter school organization, learning the inner workings of a system that many misunderstood and often criticized. While it was unfamiliar at first and carried a complicated reputation, it offered valuable insights I couldn’t have gained anywhere else.
I knew that if I truly wanted to lead at a broader level one day, I had to experience the system from every angle. Those two years challenged and stretched me in ways I didn’t expect, and they left me with a deeper understanding of the possibilities within education when it's done right.
Eventually, my values and the direction of the organization no longer aligned. I didn’t wait around. I gathered a group of passionate people, mortgaged my home, leaned on my community, and opened my own charter school. It was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. It also turned out to be one of the most rewarding.
Within five years, our charter school was recognized among the top six percent statewide for closing achievement gaps in underserved communities. We earned the highest level of WASC accreditation, secured NCAA alignment, and became Marzano Level 1 and 2 certified.We created personalized pathways for every student who came through our doors.
The results were powerful. Students who had nearly given up on education re-engaged. Parents who were desperate to help their children finally found a partner they could trust. They didn’t just find a school. They found a place that saw them. A place that believed in their kids as much as they did.
I built a team that shared that same belief, and when I knew the school would continue to thrive without me, I stepped back to make room for what was next.
Nearly a decade later, I now find myself in a very different space. I’m helping build IXR, a global edtech startup that’s opening my eyes to new possibilities every day. I’m learning constantly, connecting with people from around the world, and growing in ways I didn’t even know I needed.
My mission remains the same. I am using the power of education and technology to expand opportunity for inner-city youth. Only now, the scale is bigger than I ever imagined. The deeper purpose is still rooted in the same place —building something that helps the next wave of bold thinkers and dreamers discover that there’s room for them too.
The entrepreneurial mind isn’t always easy to understand. We’re often called impulsive, reckless, or just plain different. In truth, we’re people who see what’s missing and believe we can leap in and help fix it. We’re not trying to stand out. We’re trying to make something better.
As my mom reminded me, some of us were simply born that way.
