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How long have you been at Side by Side?
I have been with Side by Side for over 11 years in various capacities. I spent more than seven years as a teacher before transitioning from my full-time position to pursue a master's degree in Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and gain experience in a different setting. During those two years, I continued to work as a relief staff member and then returned to a full-time role last March as the social-emotional learning program manager.
What brought you to the agency?
The Hunt School is where I began my teaching career!
What three words describe you?
Empathetic, compassionate, and joyful.
W hat has been your favorite project at Side by Side?
It's hard to choose just one, but a project that continues to resonate with me is when Caitlin Davis, Erica Clay, and I were featured in the Side by Side newsletter during the height of the pandemic and distance learning. It was a time of immense challenge, not only due to COVID-19 but also because of the collective grief and reckoning following the murder of George Floyd. Our school community came together to create a powerful video honoring victims of police violence and committed to taking a public stand for social justice. At the time, I was teaching high school alongside my colleague Caitlin Davis, and we were navigating how to support our students—some of whom had been directly impacted by police violence—through both a global crisis and harrowing, transformative events. In collaboration with former upper elementary teacher Erica Clay, and with the support of the entire Hunt School staff, we committed to integrating social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion into our curriculum in a more intentional and lasting way.
Our Director, Jolene Yee, captured the moment perfectly when she said, "We are learning too. In teaching youth, we are also educating ourselves." It was and continues to be a deeply meaningful experience that reminds me of the power of education, community, and collective growth.
Why is it essential to work with today’s youth?
Working with today’s youth is essential because they are constantly navigating their personal experiences and the rapidly changing world around them. Unfortunately, many young people—especially those from marginalized or at-risk communities—face systemic barriers that limit their access to resources and opportunities. More than ever, they need spaces where they feel seen, heard, valued, and safe rather than silenced because of their identities.
Side by Side provides that space—one that many other places do not. It’s a privilege to support our youth, uplift their voices, and create opportunities for them to thrive. And just as much as we teach them, they teach us. I learn from them every day.
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