I have always wanted to teach, but I knew I didn't want to be a teacher in the traditional sense. I love learning. I love the moment of discovering and exploring innate curiosities down the rabbit hole, so to speak. I love the entire process. I love being a part of the moment something clicks for the first time, whether that's as a facilitator or even just an observer. I'm inspired by storytelling as a means of communication, and the process of "ah?" to "aha!"

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​As an undergraduate student at Illinois Wesleyan University I knew I wanted to do something different. I started my studies as an art major, but with a deep-seated interest and desire to teach. I knew the traditional education route wasn't for me, so I began researching. I loved graphic design as a communication tool. The concept of "design thinking" and "visual literacy" were beginning to come out the woodwork and take shape around the time that I petitioned my University to pursue a self-designed major: Interdisciplinary Education Studies with a concentration in Visual Literacy. It was a way for me to combine my passions, and create a narrative to focus on what I loved.

 

My curriculum included a foundation of education courses on child development, integrating fine arts, technology, and social justice; and cognitive psychology and anthropology courses to delve deeper in studies about how we learn and communicate. My studies culminated in a Research Honors Thesis exploring "What We See and Why it Matters: How Competency in Visual Literacy can Enhance Student Learning." In essence, this paper explores how engaging in the creation or making of something fosters a deeper connection to the connect and more effective learning, not to mention more fun.

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Upon graduating, I had the honor and pleasure of serving as the Trinkett Clark intern at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art where my passion for picture books became all-encompassing. It was where everything I loved clicked and it became my goal to use children's literature and connect it to informal education opportunities through community engagement.

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I am passionate about libraries and museums and what I can do to help create these connections in these places. Named an Emerging Innovator by the American Alliance of Museums and an Emerging Leader by the American Library Association, I want to find more ways to blend the experiences and promote literacy and learning in these settings. To learn more about what I do, please check out my work process and previous projects. ​