Welcome to the College of Education. I provide staff support for the Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum and Special Education graduate programs as well as for the Banks Center for Educational Justice. I'm also the supervisor for the Academic Support Team that provides staff support for the core College of Ed state-funded graduate programs. I also work with the broad group of College faculty who've developed the Education, Equity, and Society certificate program as well as with faculty and staff serving in program/College leadership positions. I also serve as a classified staff union steward in the College and as the SEIU 925 UW North Campus Area Organizing Committee Co-Chair (2019-21).
I always make my work with students a top priority, and try to be as helpful and resourceful as I can for everyone. I’m in 115A Miller (just behind the front desk area) and am the lead administrative/support contact for the Special Education and Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum graduate programs. I also used to work in Educational Psychology, and work closely w/folks across all College programs, so don’t hesitate to come to me if you have any questions about just about any College topic or who to go to for x or how to accomplish y – I tend to know just about everyone here in the College!
I maintain an active presence in the College community, and in past years have been a staff rep. on Faculty Council, helped co-chair the Diversity Task Force (2008-9, as well as participating in it several other years), was a participant in the College’s Strategic Planning committee (2010), and I enjoy helping to support the College's annual Common Book events. I highly value the community life of the College -- being immersed in and participating in the intellectual, research and social justice work happening here, and I enjoy sharing insights and being able to learn from and along with everyone. I like to organize events such as the occasional weekend College social bike ride and the College’s "Pedalgogy" bicycle commuter team for the annual UW 'Ride in the Rain' challenge. I was also a five-year staff member and volunteer with Husky Cycling. This little feature of me on the College's youtube channel captures some of my history and involvement in the life and culture of the College.
I began working in the College in 1996, although my ties to the UW go back further -- I attended as a student in the mid-80’s (Political Science major) and during that time played trumpet in the Husky Marching Band for four years (including travel to Rose and Orange Bowl wins!). After college I participated in a large 9-month cross-US peace walk (the Great Peace March), and then also traveled a fair bit around the U.S. and Europe. I was a partnership owner in several independent bookstores (primarily Left Banks Books in the Pike Place Market) here in Seattle for 8 years before coming back to work here at the UW.
In my free time I enjoy bicycling (and I used to do some racing -- ask me about the 2012 Race Across Oregon), hiking and camping, making collage art, singing, listening to a wide variety of music and taking in performances, as well as writing, and reading from my large personal library. My writing has been published in a number of publications from the well-known (Seattle Times) to the more obscure. My collage art has been featured in two book anthologies.
I've maintained an active presence within the local (and international) Scottish Gaelic cultural and musical communities for now a couple decades. I was active as a singer and performer seven years years in the only Scottish Gaelic choir in the United States and for 10 years in the traditional Scottish/Gaelic Seattle-area-based folk group Oran nan Car (defunct since 2013). The University of Washington's faculty and staff publication University Week featured an interview with a fellow band member/UW staffer and myself as we celebrated the April 2008 release of our first CD in a sold-out concert at the UW's Ethnic Cultural Theatre. I also have an active interest in a broader Celtic cultural, linguistic, and scholarly endeavors: e.g., a few years ago I had several contributions published along with other scholars from the U.S., Ireland and Wales in the free online book, Land, Sea and Sky.
We support staff would like all prospective applicants and current students to view us as key helpful allies here in the College -- we're here to help you navigate your way successfully from start to finish as you look to fulfill your long-term professional and community service aspirations!