Biography

I have been at UNC Charlotte since August, 2006. My work primarily focuses on supporting teachers' use of standards-based (aka reform-based) mathematics pedagogies and learner-centered pedagogies in elementary school classrooms. During my doctoral program at the University of Georgia, I began examining the most effective ways to support teachers' integration of technology and investigative-based activities in their mathematics teaching.

Here at UNC Charlotte, I work closely with Kannapolis City and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, supporting mathematics instruction using the Investigations in Number, Data, and Space curriculum. I also have supported Kannapolis City with their district-wide IMPACT technology integration professional development.

Prior to starting my PhD work at Georgia, I taught 4th and 5th grade at D.J. Montague Elementary School in Williamsburg, VA. While I was in Williamsburg, I also served as the school's Math Curriculum Leader and was a participant in a PT3 technology grant that was awarded to the College of William and Mary.  I also had the opportunity to work with Dr. Margie Mason on a few professional development institutes that were funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Eisenhower Initiative (now referred to as the Teacher Quality program) These experiences allowed me to interact with elementary and middle grades mathematics teachers and help them make their mathematics instruction more  problem-based.

I grew up in Northern Virginia and attended high school at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, a Governor's magnet school for science and technology. I earned my B.S. from William and Mary in 1999 with a concentration in Kinesiology and Elementary Education. After I started teaching, I earned my M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Old Dominion University.

In my spare time I enjoy coaching youth soccer, worshipping, spending time outdoors and reading. I've also been blessed to have the opportunity to travel for both conferences and mission trips.