Me with the world championship trophy for the dance twirl team
Past
resilience, persistence, disappointment, success
Growing up, school was challenging for me. I was always the last person to finish assignments and tests, was super embarrassed to read out loud, and I had to work very hard to do well in school. Over time, I adapted study strategies and though I still worked very hard, I was able to excel with my schoolwork. To save money, I attended a community college and lived at home during my first two years in college. Being accepted to University of California at San Diego (UCSD) to study psychology was a dream come true. When I was 28 years old, I was diagnosed with severe deep dyslexia, which explained why I struggled in school and why I took (and bombed) the graduate records exam (GRE) four times!
Prior to becoming a full-time academic I worked as a personal fitness trainer for 15 years in Boulder Colorado and was a certified continuing education provider.
My sport growing up was unconventional - I was a baton twirler. After several challenges, our team won the Grand National and World Championships two years.
At UCSD with my dad and sister
(I'm on the right)
My husband and sons golfing in Sedona, AZ.
Present
educator, mentor, researcher, wife, mother
As a professor of psychology at Adams State University, I teach classes in child development, statistics, research methods, and cognitive science. Some of my service activities have included serving as Chair of the Student Learning Assessment Committee, Assessment Coordinator for the Psychology Department, member of the Health Professions Advisory Committee, Faculty Trustee, and Co-Chair of the Employee Wellness Committee. I was the researcher on a five-year, $1.8 million NSF grant. Currently, I am a co-researcher on the El Centro Sierra Blanca grant, a Title III HSI STEM initiative, and Co-PI of Movement for the Mind, a project that provides place-based, authentic research experiences for undergraduates while promoting youth mental health in the San Luis Valley.
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My identity and values are strongly tied to family, faith, and health and fitness. I have been married 20 years and we have two boys. As a family we enjoy spend time outdoors, eating and cooking healthy meals, praying, and learning together.
My amazing ASU psychology students; all these students conducted their own research
My husband in Sangre de Cristo Mountains; picture taken by Adam Hodges
Future
inspire, empower, outdoor adventure, growth
Professionally, I am deeply committed to helping Adams State students persist and succeed. Over the past eight years, this commitment has only grown through my work with students who are remarkably resilient and truly value the opportunity to earn a college degree. Working alongside Phil Kassel, we developed a 4-step Build Grit process, and I continue to pursue opportunities to teach this curriculum in educational, athletic, and professional settings. Ultimately, my goal is to empower students and professionals to cultivate grit, resilience, and intentional habits that lead to meaningful and successful lives.
In my leisure time, I enjoy travel, snowboarding, trail running and golfing—activities I’ve pursued for many years and hope to prioritize even more. I’m also excited about a new challenge: backcountry snowboarding, which has become a recent passion and a goal I’m eager to continue exploring. Most importantly, I am working on becoming a better mother, wife, and role model for people I interact with.
"Adversity is one of the most potent forces in life. It shapes your character, clarifies your priorities, and defines your path. It can also fuel your greatness." - Eric Weihenmayer
Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, garbanzo beans with avocado crema in our backyard