I understand how rewarding and challenging it can be as an elementary music teacher. I have a desire to help music teachers as they journey through their passion/career as a music teacher. I attended a SW Fl Orff Workshop and found the information invaluable. This ignited my desire to grow as a music educator. This fire didn't stop at growing as a teacher myself, it ignited the desire to be a part of the leadership to help other music teachers learn how to become better teachers. I have served on SW Fl Orff Board for several years and I've loved every second. I am continuing to grow in my desire to help others realize their dreams as a music educator.

I enjoy supporting FGCU with mentoring their students. Planting seeds for future classrooms, teachers, and students I feel is critical. My attitude is, how can I help others as we walk this path of teaching music together?

By serving FEMEA I will continue to grow and help others. I feel I am already embracing the FEMEA mission. This mission is truly a part of who I am. I would feel honored to be a part of supporting music educators in order to provide a high quality, comprehensive music education for all children. There is nothing like observing a teacher who has just realized that by teaching his/her students, they have changed their student's world. There is nothing like observing our students as they achieve their musical/personal goals with that feeling of success. I hope all of you will allow me the opportunity to serve as the District Chair for FEMEA District 2.

January 7-10, 2020

As music teachers, we are always striving to make sure that our students receive the best music education possible. When you step back and look at it at a larger level, FEMEA is doing the same thing, but are doing it through making sure that the elementary music teachers in the state are well equipped with the information and resources that they need to be successful. In the more recent years of my teaching career, I have found that collaborating with other music educators has not only helped me in my own practice, but it has allowed me to hear what other teachers in the state feel is a shortfall in the education of future music educators, and in those currently teaching. One thing that I am passionate about is helping create a strong foundation in music instruction at the elementary level, and serving with the FEMEA board would allow me an even greater platform in which to enact change and support other educators. I would love to be able to collaborate with elementary music educators from across the state to really understand how to best make sure that elementary music is being taught with fidelity, is being made available to all students, and is viewed as the valuable asset that it is to ALL educators, not just those in our profession. I would work toward this goal by advocating for our profession at the local and state levels, as well as collaborating with teachers at the local and state levels to hear the needs of the many and report that back to the board so that we can brainstorm, and get the support needed to where it needs to go.