Assistant Director of Middle and Upper School Admissions and Financial Aid
Know Your Pelicans
Can you describe a favorite or memorable moment you've had at Packer?
My favorite moment I’ve had thus far is the open house we held last Fall where over 500 families explored Packer. It was incredible because we had students, faculty, staff, and current families all welcoming new faces and putting the spirit of the school on display! Every prospective family left raving about how amazing our community was, and it was so memorable because it took many different people in our community to put on such a successful event.
Tell me about a time when you've learned something from a student.
I learn something almost every day from students. I think the biggest thing I learn on an ongoing basis is to follow my dreams and passions. The students at Packer are always exploring their interests, and it’s a great example on how I should lead my life by continuing to find things that excite me outside of work.
Name a book/artwork/piece of music that changed your life and explain how.
The Art of Fielding, because the story starts off as a baseball story but ends with a lot more substance. The book deals with homophobia, mental health, and drug and alcohol issues within a college baseball team. I read the book for the first time in high school, and every time I read it again, there is more to dissect. It brought to light that within a team, there is so much more than what is on the surface. Everyone has internal struggles they are battling, and it’s up to everyone to create a supportive environment where vulnerability is celebrated.
Growing up, did you have a teacher who was particularly influential for you?
I had A TON of influential teachers…some who are still at Packer today! Just so I can stay as neutral as possible, I’d have to say the English department in high school inherited a kid who didn’t like to read and annotate books, nor write more than a paragraph, and transformed me into a young adult who loved nitpicking all the details of a book and eventually preferred writing essays over taking tests.
What is something most Packer people wouldn't guess about you?
I am a very big photographer and I take a ton of photos in my free time. Many people think of me as a “sports person”, but my mother is an artist, and I have a love for arts that many people might not see right away.