High Quality Education for ALL Students

1. During my time in law school, I utilized the Georgia Department of Education’s Academic Performance metric to assess the academic achievements of school districts statewide, supporting alignment with state standards. Additionally, I conducted surveys among public school principals and teachers to gain insights into their day-to-day challenges. This information guided the development of tailored training and professional development programs aimed at meeting the individual needs of students.

    

2. My commitment to fostering college and career readiness is unwavering. Serving as the Director of State and Local Government Affairs for one of the world’s largest associations, I work closely with business owners, gaining a deep understanding of their needs and the challenges they face in addressing labor shortages. Through extensive cross-country travels and engagements with numerous business owners and elected officials, it became evident that the key to addressing these challenges lies in prioritizing college and career readiness at the Pre-K-12 level. Drawing from my experience as a recent SkillsUSA advisor and a Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher at Dacula High School, I possess firsthand knowledge of what it takes to prepare students for successful futures.

    

3. I am dedicated to enhancing literacy outcomes. Having participated in various task forces, including a virtual public school task force under Governor Brian Kemp’s administration, I have been actively involved in initiatives aimed at promoting reading among students. During my tenure as an educator in the Dacula Cluster within GCPS (Gwinnett County Public Schools), I contributed to literacy task forces and secured a grant to support the English Department at Dacula High School for educational tools and resources. As an interrelated English teacher, I became attuned to the challenges faced by special education teachers. Furthermore, having taught GCPS students from diverse backgrounds, including South Korea, India, Russia, and Ghana, I co-created the Multicultural Literature & Composition course, which provided students with grade-level literature reflecting their cultural identities and fostering a love for reading. Witnessing students' newfound enjoyment of reading affirmed my belief that there is a book for everyone and underscored the importance of increasing reading volume to enhance academic success across disciplines and prepare students for college and career pathways.

    

4. I advocate for multilingual education. Having worked with teachers in my course team who instructed students in ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Language) programs, I recognized the barriers students faced when taking assessments in a language they were not fully proficient in. If elected, I will collaborate with leaders to address the needs of English language learners, ensuring their assessments accurately reflect their reading comprehension and written expression skills.

    

5. I am committed to supporting increased math outcomes. Drawing from my teaching experience and education leadership training at the University of Georgia, where I gained valuable insights into strategies for supporting students struggling in math and increasing graduation rates. I pledge to work with teachers, students, parents, and leaders to address the unique needs of students.