Hello, I have been employed as a high school Science and Computer Science Teacher at Ridgewood High School, Norridge, Illinois (District 234) for the past fifteen years. During that time I have taught honors biology, honors physics, computer programming and astronomy.

My background includes fourteen years of scientific research at the McGraw Medical Center, Chicago, IL before I became a teacher. I hold a Master of Science degree in Biology and a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Development. In 1999 I received National Board Certification in Young Adult and Adolescent Science and recertification in 2009 for another 10 years. I hold a current Master Teaching Certificate from the State of Illinois. I have developed a research-based astronomy curriculum in which my students have performed astronomical research at the high school level. Several of my students in my research-based astronomy classes have won awards and published their work. Two students even won a grant opportunity to travel to Kitt Peak and use the 0.9m WYNN telescope for three nights to study a cataclysmic variable star called HYEri. As an educator and an advocate of astronomy education, I am a NASA Educator Ambassador for the Fermi Space Telescope which will investigate the most energetic explosions in the universe – gamma-ray burst! I routinely delivered educational presentations to broad audiences which have included the general public, teachers of all grade levels, and students of all ages. Please use the links on this page to explore my interest and my participation in astronomy education programs.