About
I am a Learning Specialist and Academic Advisor, and the Disability Services Specialist for a private college, with over 18 years of experience in education. Most recently at Beacon College, I led a team of learning specialists, worked with students who need accommodations, and supported students with diagnosed learning differences to succeed in college and earn Liberal Arts degrees.
My work involves teaching students how to navigate college academically and personally, managing student caseloads, and leading initiatives such as the Resiliency Initiative and Siles With Sully ESA program on campus. I have experience with case management, curriculum creation, and working with students who have 504 and IEP plans, using skills in teaching, critical thinking, and student trauma and resiliency.
What I'm looking for
I am seeking a role that keeps me connected to education—whether through curriculum development, instructional design, or direct support for students and adults. I thrive on meaningful communication and find deep satisfaction in helping others recognize their strengths and grow beyond their limitations. My expertise centers on Executive Function coaching: assessing individual skill gaps, reinforcing existing capabilities, and building practical strategies for organization and time management.
Experience
Lead Learning Specialist and Academic Advisor
Beacon College
Jul 2021 – Present
Led a team of six learning specialists in working with students who have a diagnosed learning difference succeed in college and earn a Liberal Arts degree.
Taught Beacon Experience, a class for first-year students on how to navigate college both academically and personally.
Creator and Lead of Resiliency Initiative on campus. Training students, faculty, and staff how to grow resiliency.
Manage a caseload of up to 38 students. Met with them once a week, for an hour, to work on goal-setting, time management and review and understanding of directions for completing college-level assignments.
Review case files of incoming students (transcripts, Psych Ed, Psych Evals), create files for working with individual students, provide information for Learning Specialist assigned to student, assign each student to a Learning Specialist with specializations that benefit the student.
Case ManagementStudent ResiliencyTeachingLeadershipExecutive Function
5th Grade ELA/Social Studies Teacher
Lake County Schools
Aug 2008 – Aug 2021
Consulted with teachers in ELA and Social Studies disciplines to identify and adopt successful instructional strategies, and best practices, and then use them in my classroom.
Worked with students who had 504 (Medical Plan) and IEP (Independent Education Plans) to ensure educational needs were met and students were successful and met promotional criteria.
Created curriculum to meet the needs of struggling and below-level students and students with 504’s and IEPs.
Attended meetings with Exceptional Student Education teams.
Communicated with parents, therapists, students, and other teachers.
Curriculum CreationInstructional Strategies504 and IEP Plans
Child Case Manager
Arnold Palmer Hospital Developmental Center
Jul 2001 – Jul 2008
Responsible for assisting parents who had children birth to three years of age with developmental delays and issues, such as down syndrome, autism, blindness, deafness, cochlear implants, multiple sclerosis, speech impediment from facial irregularities, and more.
Performed intake interviews, developmental testing on children, educated parents on how to best help their child, advised where to go for medical, dental, psychological services, therapy, etc.
Documented data and completed accurate updates to case records.
Built solid and trusting rapport with children and families, fostering trust and communication to meet case needs.
Developmental TestingCase ManagementFamily Communication
Education
National University
Master of Arts · Reading
2011 – 2012
Indiana University Bloomington
BA · Sociology
1988 – 1993
Indiana University Bloomington
BA · Psychology
1988 – 1993
Certifications
College Student Wellbeing, Trauma and Resilience Certification
Florida State University
Feb 2022 – No expiry
The Psychology of Leadership Certification
Cornell University
Skills
Team TrainingTeam CollaborationPlanningOrganizationTime ManagementResiliencyStudent TraumaCurriculum CreationCase ManagementTeaching
