I’m proud of my Southern roots.
I was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to two brilliant, forward-thinking parents. I was raised with a deep sense of purpose, pride, and compassion. My mom’s family traces back to Virginia, with ancestors who helped shape this nation, some before the American Revolution and others during the Civil Rights Movement, by fighting for justice and fair laws. My dad’s side is from Georgia, but later migrated north for opportunity, settling in Illinois and Ohio.
Growing up in the South meant warmth in climate, culture, family and identity. I felt connected and grounded. But when we moved to central Indiana, where I completed middle and high school, everything changed.
I did well in school on paper. I knew how to “play school.” But inside, I felt disconnected. I didn’t feel seen. I wasn’t safe to be myself. I was often bored, under-challenged and invisible in classrooms that never quite made space for me to thrive. My parents had to fight for us. They fought for advanced coursework, for belonging, for dignity. And I was fortunate. I had access, education and just enough privilege to keep pushing forward. But it left a mark. That mark became my motivation.
I went into education to create the kind of classroom I didn’t have, where love comes first and belonging is the foundation. I wanted to create a space where expectations are high because I believe in students, a space where every child feels safe to dream, make and become.
It started with my own classroom. I didn’t get everything right, but I loved every student fiercely. I wanted them to feel it, to know they mattered, that they were not invisible, and that they were capable of greatness.
That work eventually led me to leadership, where I had the privilege of shaping entire school cultures grounded in belonging and academic achievement. When I was asked to open a high school, I set out to create the kind of place I needed at 14: a school that sees every student as a unique gift, a place with purpose, a place where you are not only allowed but expected to be fully yourself.
At Purdue Polytechnic High Schools (PPHS), that’s our work. Across our campuses, in different communities, we are united in this belief: every student deserves to feel known, loved, and challenged. We don’t build cookie-cutter schools. We build community, belonging, and futures.
This is not easy work. In fact, it is the hardest work I’ve ever done. But it is also the most important. And I am surrounded by the most incredible people. My colleagues lead with heart, protect, uplift and refuse to give up on a single student. They show up. Every single day. For the kids. For each other. At PPHS, there’s no such thing as ‘those kids’ because they are all our kids. Visit, and you’ll feel it. You’ll see the joy, the resilience, the brilliance and the love.
I do this work because I needed a place like this. Every child does.
