Hello,

I married my high school sweetheart, Nate, and we’ve been together since we were sixteen. After graduating from Mount Si High School in 2006, I followed Nate to Kentucky, where I initially enrolled in an ASL Interpreting program. When the program unexpectedly closed, I transferred to Eastern Kentucky University—and in that pivot, I found my true calling. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Deaf and Hard of Hearing & Special Education, along with a minor in American Sign Language.
 

After completing my degree, we returned home to Washington State, where life moved quickly in the best possible way. On the first day of my very first teaching job—back at our alma mater, Mount Si High School—I learned we were expecting our first child. We were married later that year, and our son Ezra was born in May 2013.
 

I began my career teaching ASL, a role I loved deeply for four years, before transitioning into Special Education at Issaquah High School. There, I worked with students with a wide range of learning, communication, and support needs. During my first year in special education, our family grew again when our second son, Elias, was born in November 2016.
 

I remained at Issaquah through the challenges of COVID before making the decision to move closer to family. We relocated to Port Orchard, Washington, where I now teach in the Social Communication classroom at South Kitsap High School—a role that brings together my passion for communication, advocacy, and student-centered support.
 

While my professional experience runs deep, this work is also profoundly personal. Both of my children have IEPs. As parents, we’ve experienced the wins, the frustrations, and the moments when advocacy was not optional—it was necessary. At one point, this meant filing a formal grievance and following the process through mediation. We learned firsthand how overwhelming special education can feel, especially for families without background knowledge or insider access. Schools are not always forthcoming with information, and understanding how to secure a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) can be daunting.
 

Those experiences shaped my passion for advocacy and led me to create Empowered Advocacy & IEP Consulting.
 

Our family is committed to supporting other families because we have lived this journey ourselves. We understand the emotions, the confusion, the paperwork, and the determination it takes to speak up for your child—and how powerful it can be when families feel informed, supported, and confident.

Outside of work, our home is affectionately known as “the zoo.” Ezra has a bearded dragon, Eli has a baby tortoise, and we share our space with a dog, a cat, and a Maine Coon kitten. We love being outdoors, reading, crafting, and simply spending time together.
 

This work is personal. It is rooted in experience, empathy, and a deep belief that every child deserves to be seen, heard, and supported.