Born and raised downstate, I'm a SUNY transplant that followed the perfect girl to the Albany area. Having taught in a rural district for half-a-year, I was very lucky to be offered a position that soon became permanent in the Niskayuna Central School District. Since 2002, I've worked with middle school students, helping to promote reading, writing and thinking skills while keeping an eye on edTech and how to best serve growing writers and readers. I accomplished National Board Certification in 2010, became an authorized Google Education Trainer in 2015, and I was honored to be recognized in 2016 as a Empire State Excellence in Teaching awardee. I currently work with a team of teachers dedicated to helping students to build skills that will follow them far beyond the middle school classroom. I have also coached at the middle school level since 2002, and having the opportunity to combine skills from the classroom and the athletic field have had a significant impact on my teaching and coaching style. Lucky is an understatement... blessed is more accurate.