Q: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your family.
I grew up in Bucks County. I went to Assumption BVM for Elementary School, and then Villa Joseph Marie for High school, and then for college graduate and undergrad, I went to Holy Family University. I got my undergraduate degree in Elementary and Special Education. I just recently got my Masters plus 48 so I have my Masters in Education and then reading specialist, autism endorsement, and ESL.
I am grateful to have my family nearby and we are all very close. My mom and dad are in the area and my brother is in NYC. My brother and I were actually born on the same day, he is just 3 years younger than me!
Q: Please tell us about your past and present career.
After graduating from college, I ended up moving out to Los Angeles. I was a celebrity teacher/nanny out there. I got to travel for movies. It was a really cool experience! I ended up moving back home and then I continued to nanny in Connecticut and New York, and then I came back home for good in 2012. My mom suggested I try substitute teaching. I decided to give it a try, and I really liked it. I started at Villa and then moved over to subbing for Council Rock, and ended up getting in as a teacher assistant. I was a teacher’s assistant at Goodnoe Elementary for about five years, and then I got a teaching position there. That opened up the door to me getting a job as an autistic support teacher. There was a position open at Holland Elementary and I have been here for 6 years now.
As an elementary school autistic support teacher for students with level 3 autism I provide specialized instruction to children who need significant support in the areas of communication, social understanding, and behavior. My students often have limited verbal communication and rely on tools like voice output devices to express their needs. I help students develop essential life skills, including social interaction, self-regulation, and academic learning, at a pace and method that suits their individual needs. I work closely with other professionals, such as speech therapists and occupational therapists, to ensure that each student’s specific needs are met. Patience, flexibility, and a deep understanding of autism are key qualities for success in my role. I love the children and my job!
Q: What’s your favorite thing about what you do?
I just love coming to work every day. My students make me so happy. I feel so lucky to get to be a part of their lives. These are my kids. Even some of the kids here that have never been my students know me and will say hi and they give me hugs in the morning. I love it. I have always told myself if I woke up one day and did not want to do this anymore I wouldn’t, but I don’t think that day is going to come. I love being around kids. I love the people I work with. It’s just, it’s something I really enjoy. Everyday has its own new set of challenges and wins.
Q: What are some of your favorite local restaurants?
Something about me is that I have some autoimmune diseases including celiac disease. This is a big part of my life. I have to eat 100% gluten free. I actually have an Instagram page called @Celiacsafecity. I use the page as a way to promote and show different places and foods to help other people find safe foods to eat. I love to promote local spots, but I also share about places I find when I travel. I want people to feel empowered to travel and find places to eat easily. I just recently took over the page actually. It is something my brother created. He and my mom both have celiac as well.
So with that, I go to Harvest, Jules, and Lovebird in Newtown a lot.
Q: Can you tell us about your community involvement?
I work with a group called the Neighborhood Outreach Foundation. It is a nonprofit. I joined about a year ago when one of the moms in the community approached me about it. We help local people in the Council Rock community that are in need.
We assess needs together and figure out how we can help people in need. We meet a variety of needs for people. It could be paying an electric bill, helping someone who just lost their job, helping someone with a car issue, etc. It’s really cool to know that we’re helping people right here in the Council Rock area.
We host fundraisers to raise the funds. The community right here really steps up. One of our biggest fundraisers is our designer bag bingo. Local businesses and community members step up in a big way every year to contribute to this event. I am often crying in stores or restaurants while I’m talking to people as they commit to helping us help others.
If you are interested in helping you can go on our website, https://nofhelp.org/
I am also passionate about supporting our local police. I participate often in Shop with a Cop and try to drop off goodies to our local service members as often as I can. I also support our military and wear red every Friday to remember all of our guys and gals who are deployed (R.E.D. Remember Everyone Deployed).
Q: Where is your favorite place that you’ve traveled and where do you want to go next?
Oh, gosh, Bali, Indonesia is my favorite place that I have been. The place I would love to go back is Rome, Italy. I’ve been there three times and I want to go back in the worst way. I am hoping to go back this summer. I love the people, the culture there, the food, yeah, of course, it’s like gluten free heaven, and it’s just beautiful.
Q: What are some of your favorite movies and TV shows?
Okay, so movies I’m gonna have to go with, Eat, Pray, Love. I actually got to travel for that movie when I was working as a celebrity nanny. Every time I watch it I’m like, “Oh my gosh, I remember this part.” It is very nostalgic for me. TV shows are a hard one. Usually I’ll turn on Lifetime or something on Bravo.
Q: What about music? Do you have, like, a favorite genre artist?
I listen to everything. I was recently on a trip with a friend and she made the comment that my music goes from hardcore rap to a country song, or like, Shania Twain, or something like that. I am all over the place.
Q: What is your favorite holiday and why?
As a kid, it was always Halloween. I loved getting free candy and dressing up. As an adult, I would say, Christmas. I love giving to others, and I love seeing people’s faces when they receive their gifts.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
For me, I’ve talked to some people that had some highs and lows in their life. And I always found that if I was ever feeling low I needed to do something for somebody else. I would stop at the police department drop off pretzels, fruit, or something random. I don’t want recognition for it, I just love the feeling of getting to help somebody else. It’ll make you feel good. It’s kind of like when you’re giving people something, it just boosts somebody’s mood, and then, in part, it’ll make you feel really good.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
I mean, myself. I just finished grad school so that I could be a better teacher. I do it for me, to better myself. Why do I work to be great at my job? Because I love it. So I feel, for me, it’s myself. I motivate myself every day to be the best version of myself I can be.
Q: If you could meet with somebody who’s dead or alive for lunch, who would you meet with and where locally Would you go?
Julia Roberts! We were at a press junket together once in Napa Valley, California. She and her husband had invited me to come have some wine with them. I said, No, because I was on duty nannying. Julia said we’ll have to do it some other time. So I feel like that some time needs to happen one of these days soon. Locally, we would go to Harvest.
Q: Where do you see yourself in five to 10 years?
Still teaching. I would love to see my Instagram page grow as well. I would love to help more people who are being diagnosed with celiac. You just never know.
Q: What are two or three of your favorite smells?
I love cotton candy and lavender.
Q: What are a couple words or phrases you think of when you hear the word home.
Love, nature, and family.
