Summary of Qualifications

• Dedicated educator with over a decade of experience crafting dynamic, inquiry-based learning opportunities tailored to youth from pre-K to high school.

• Three years spearheading S.T.E.M. and Maker educational experiences, fostering creativity and innovation among children and families across diverse environments.

• Five years managing educational programs, excelling in budgeting, timeline development, and staff coordination while establishing strong community partnerships.

• Provides mentorship and guidance to educators, aligning their practices with the maker movement, CSP Framework, and child development principles to foster a collaborative learning environment.

• Proficient in utilizing a range of maker tools, including Glowforge & Thunder Laser Cutter, 3D printers, sewing machines, and wood shop tools.

• Committed to empowering learners through hands-on exploration and discovery, including teaching confidence in power tools, tech skills, robotics, and coding, to equip students with essential 21st-century competencies for future success as they tackle problems in the future.

Relevant Experience 

KID Museum | Bethesda, MD 

Senior Education Program Manager | September 2024- Present 

• Design and manage educational programs rooted in maker education principles, with a focus on Sunday Open Explore at KID Museum, a flagship drop-in program that engages approximately 30,000 visitors annually.

• Create engaging, hands-on learning experiences for children, youth, and educators, curating a wide range of interactive maker activities that foster creativity, problem-solving, and exploration.

• Lead program development in alignment with the museum’s mission and strategic goals, overseeing all Sunday programming, including the design of rotating exhibits, interactive stations, and seasonal themes that reflect community interests and emerging educational trends.

• Develop curricula and facilitate training for educators and classroom teachers, ensuring that all staff are equipped to deliver inclusive, inquiry-driven experiences and that co-developed partner programming reflects shared goals.

• Collaborate with community partners to co-develop culturally responsive programming for Sunday cultural celebrations, ensuring authentic representation and meaningful engagement through activities that reflect diverse traditions, innovations, and histories.

• Mentor junior staff and support their professional growth, providing guidance on curriculum development, facilitation techniques, and program evaluation.

• Manage program budgets, materials acquisition, and organization for programs, maintaining high-quality supplies and ensuring efficient use of resources to support ongoing innovation and visitor engagement.

Education Program Manager | April 2023 - September 2024 

• Serves as project owner on various KID Museum programs, setting well-defined work plans, clearly communicating project goals/objectives, and ensuring successful implementation of the program across the Education Team.

• Conceptualized and executed a three-week Maker Math for middle school students in partnership with Montgomery County Public School System, incorporating teacher professional development, curriculum development, offsite facilitation, and on-site field trips.

• Develop and manage an Invention program that reached over 2,200 Elementary students over 3 counties, aligning in-class and on-site curriculum with NGSS and Common Core Math standards to extend educational impact nationwide.

• Research and evaluate programming in order to guide change or make recommendations for potential programming opportunities.

• Oversaw development and implementation of systems for all program operations, including field trip booking, calendar and scheduling procedures, inventory management, program data collection and tracking in Patron Manager, budget tracking, and capacity projections.

Maker Educator | January 2022 - April 2023

• Foster an inquiry-based, self-directed learning environment to encourage innovation and discovery, while successfully prioritizing and managing multiple projects, ensuring timelines and due dates are met.

• Lead educator for school visits, family programming, after-school programs, summer camps, and outreach, guiding groups of up to 150 in hands-on maker learning.

• Plan, write, and facilitate inclusive learning experiences that celebrate every child as a maker.

• Collaborate with a team to develop, design, budget, prototype, and iterate on weekend family programs, workshops, and Open Explore school visits.

• Lead development, budgeting, planning, and facilitation of on-site K-1 after-school programs and daily camps.

Good Beginnings, Laurel, MD

Preschool Director | February 2021 - January 2022

• Conducted program assessments to determine an annual budget, short and long-range projects, curriculum goals, annual schedule, professional development, and staffing needs. 

• Handled general finances for the preschool by organizing payments through QuickBooks, processing payroll, ordering curriculum materials, collecting bi-weekly tuition payments, and calculating/paying quarterly tax payments.

• Established communication lines between myself and the staff, students, and parents to build a collaborative and inclusive environment. 

• Participated in local early childhood education activities and advisory committees.

• Hired, trained, and managed all school staff members including Mentor Teachers, Lead Teachers, Assistant Teachers, and Teacher Aides. 

• Developed curriculum alignment focused on Kindergarten Readiness aligning to the Early Learning Assessment, KRA, and 4 Domain Performance. 

• Responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by following all MSDE Child Care program requirements, kept abreast of all Department of Health guidelines, and applied for Child Care relief and stabilization grants.  

Assistant Director | August 2018 - February 2021

• Oversaw the general operation of a mid-sized preschool, ensuring the safety, needs, and academic support of each child and family. 

• Supported school compliance and advancement, including state and licensing requirements. 

• Performed quarterly evaluations of program planning, development, and delivery, staff performance, student learning, family and community engagement, and community impact. 

• Worked within the pre-approved annual budget by managing: teacher/classroom budgets, maintenance repairs, general supply inventory, and payroll expenses. 

• Developed adequate staffing plans and supported teachers and staff with professional development, curriculum development, classroom management, and interpersonal staff relationships. 

• Enrolled new families starting with tours, child and parent interviews, followed by processing enrollment applications.

Pre-Kindergarten Teacher | November 2015 - January 2022

• Contributed to each student’s individual engagement, learning, growth, and achievement through the cultivation of critical thinking, empathy, and relationship building. 

• Conducted bi-annual conferences with parents to review progress and adjust academic plans. 

• Developed and facilitated creative S.T.E.A.M. curriculum to advance the physical, social/emotional, and intellectual development of each child.

• Partnered with HCPSS interventionists and followed students’ Individual Education Plan to be inclusive of children of all abilities. 

• Observed and evaluated children’s performance, behavior, social development, and physical health in accordance with the Early Learning Assessment, KRA, and 4 Domain Performance. 

Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks | Docent 

August 2019 - December 2022

• Led interactive, conversational tours for visitors of all ages at various historic sites, including The Patapsco Female Institute, The Firehouse Museum, Thomas Isaac Log Cabin, and The Ellicott City Colored School, Restored.

• Interpreted museum exhibitions to give visitors a deeper understanding and appreciation of the sites, physical artifacts, and historical context.

American Visionary Art Museum | Teaching Artist 

January 2017 - November 2017 & August 2015 - November 2015, Baltimore, MD 

• Collaborated and co-taught weekly classes of 15-30 students of all backgrounds and abilities. 

• Developed, structured, and coordinated S.T.E.A.M. lesson plans for grades pre-k-8.

• Inspired youth to create, play, and develop confidence, and a sense of community through artistic expression. 

Baltimore Museum of Art | Gallery Host

August 2015 - July 2016, Baltimore, MD 

• Worked at the BMA's Center for People + Art, helping and facilitating connections between art and the Baltimore City community. 

• Acted as a bridge between the audience, artwork, and space by answering questions about the current artwork on display, and by sharing knowledge of the artistic process. 

Education

Master of Arts in Museology/Museum Studies 

Johns Hopkins University Advanced Academic Programs | Baltimore, MD | 2018 

Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art & Art History

McDaniel College | Westminster, MD | 2015