Fun Facts

I was a professional chef for 20 years and owned the restaurant I founded in Southern California.
I can trace all my ancestors in my hometown in Italy back to 1486.
My son is a TCU Frog - '24.

About Me

I received my BA in Theatre from houston">the houston">University of Houston and worked in theatre in Houston and Chicago, where fell in love with restaurants. I started my own restaurant in Redlands, CA, and had a great time being the chef/owner for 15 years. I returned to Houston and started teaching and also returned to school where I will graduate with a Master of Liberal Studies degree with honors from Rice University in December 2023.
I have had two short stories published in academic journals.

Experience

I have been teaching my entire life. After college, I was a department head at Whole Foods Market in Chicago where I trained new staff. In my restaurant, in a small town, I often had to train staff with no previous experience. Many of my cooks are now running their own kitchens.
I have been teaching High School for seven years.

Approach

I believe the transformative power of education can enrich our lives. I did not take seriously the opportunity I had in college, I just got through it. I had to return to it later in life to fully enjoy the value of learning. We live in an era during which education is focused on test results and checking boxes, but without much insight and reflection on what is being learned. I try to help my students achieve high marks while also appreciating the process and the simple joy of learning.
I beli