I grew up in New York on Long Island's East End. I moved to South Carolina in 1991 to attend Clemson University where I majored in architecture. After earning my undergraduate degree I spent the next 4 years working for a local architectural firm designing schools all around South Carolina, from Columbia to Hilton Head. During this time I also worked with elementary-aged children through coaching basketball, attending career days about the architectural profession and through church groups. I married into a family of educators and really felt called to work with children. I left the architectural field and began my teaching career in 1999 as an elementary art teacher, first in Berkeley County and then in Charleston County (at Pinckney Elementary School). This proved to be an amazing career change as I truly love my current profession.
I thoroughly enjoyed my teaching career and during that time I was named Pinckney's Teacher of the Year and a Top 5 Finalist for Charleston County. I was a member of the CCSD Teacher Forum and also served as a Master Teacher for the SC PACE Program where I mentored over a hundred first year teachers throughout the state. I earned my Master's degree in Elementary Administration from The Citadel and then became an Assistant Principal at Pinckney Elementary, which was a K-5 school at that time.
In 2005 I was named Principal of Laurel Hill Primary and offered the opportunity to open our brand new facility in January, 2006. Since our opening, the Laurel Hill team has worked tirelessly to provide the best learning environment possible for our primary-aged children.
In 2008 I was named a '40 under 40' recipient by the Charleston Regional Business Journal and also received the Principal Advocacy Award by the CCSD Reading Recovery Program. I currently serve on the CCSD Modernization Committee which is tasked with bringing modern technology to all of the district's classrooms, as well as Dr. McGinley's Principal Advisory Committee.
I absolutely love my job as Principal at Laurel Hill and look forward to continuing our incredible progress toward becoming a nationally recognized primary school.
Susan and I have been married for 13 years and we have 2 children in preschool. My daughter will attend Laurel Hill next year and my son will attend the following year. I'm very excited for them to experience our incredible school. My time away from school is spent with family - going to the beach, creating artwork, reading books and volunteering at church.
Please feel free to contact me through e-mail with any questions about our amazing school.