Biographical Statement:
Growing up on the Pacific Island of Saipan and being the daughter of two LACCD graduates fundamentally shaped my perception of and passion for education. After completing my B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior from UC Irvine, I pursued my doctoral studies in Health Psychology at UCLA. There, some of my fondest memories come from serving two terms as the Co-Chair of the Transfer Student Outreach Committee under Underrepresented Graduate Students in Psychology and working as a graduate mentor, and later, Executive Director, to an intensive research summer program for LA 2-year/community college students. In 2020, I received the UCLA Dean’s Excellence Award for outstanding contributions to teaching and diversity.
What motivates me to remain up-to-date on the latest teaching practices is constantly putting myself out of my comfort zone. Whether it’s learning a new language, surf, or skate, I think it’s important to remember what it’s like to try something new. In my downtime, you might find me at home reading, painting, or playing a board game with friends, or out hiking, playing tennis, or surfing at the beach.