I grew up in Huntington Beach, California, and I have been connected to Catholic education all of my life. To begin with, I attended Saint Bonaventure School as a child, and then I returned there to teach second grade for 22 years. I also attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California where I was actively involved in choir and campus ministry. After that, I attended the University of San Francisco where I received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry. While I was there, I also completed a Catholic liberal arts program at the Saint Ignatius Institute. In 2010, I became adventurous and moved to Sugar Land where I have continued to teach Catholic education at Saint Theresa Catholic School.
I completed a multiple subjects credential at California State University, Long Beach. A few years later, I also earned a master’s degree in reading education and obtained a reading specialist credential from California State University, Fullerton. In California, I used my training as a reading specialist to teach an after-school reading club for many years. At Saint Theresa’s, I continue to work after school supporting children in their learning.
I have always been active in the Church at the parish level. In the past, I played guitar in my church choir, and I was active in youth and young adult ministries. I have participated in years of bible studies at Saint Vincent de Paul in California, and I earned my masters certification at the Orange Catechetical Institute in the Diocese of Orange. At Saint Peter Chanel in Hawaiian Gardens, California, I participated in the spiritual exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and took many spirituality classes to increase my prayer life. Currently, I am a catechist at Saint Theresa’s for the children’s RCIA in both the Inquiry (Pre-catechumenate) and the Catechumenate. In addition, I am a catechist for sacrament sunday preparing children for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.
My favorite thing about being involved in my parish is helping bring the sacraments to the children with whom I work. I am moved and encouraged to see that our classical education, both through its modeling and its religious curriculum, is producing students who deeply love Jesus both in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I am very blessed to be a faculty member and teach second grade at Saint Theresa’s.
