A Memorable Teaching Experience: I remember one student in particular with whom I first became acquainted via phone as she prepared to take the SAT chemistry subject test. Eventually, we went on to work together as she prepared to take the ACT. She was and is a very bright student and is very capable, but early on as we were preparing for the ACT, she suffered a significant loss of confidence, thinking that she was not progressing and would not score what she needed to get into her dream school. This hit me hard because I never want to see a student believe that he or she is not capable. We regrouped, however, as we worked to build back up her confidence. As the weeks and months went on, she gradually improved her scores. Every time that she texted me with an official score report, my day brightened. And finally, when I received a text message from her mother with a linked photo showing her holding a t-shirt emblazoned with Vanderbilt, I could not help but feel proud.

Personal Rewarding Educational Experience: Perhaps my most rewarding educational experience was recovering after a slow start to get an A- in my first organic chemistry class in college. I had performed relatively poorly on a couple of the midterm exams that year, but I was able focus hard enough and put in enough work to get a 96 on the final midterm exam. On the final exam, I was able to score 171 out of 200, 21 points above the class average. Yes, this was some two decades ago, but yes, it still makes me proud.

Favorite Quote:
“My life closed twice before its close—
It yet remains to see
If Immortality unveil
A third event to me

So huge, so hopeless to conceive
As these that twice befell.
Parting is all we know of heaven,
And all we need of hell.”

― Emily Dickinson, “My Life Closed Twice Before Its Close”

Fun Facts:
I can juggle (up to four items at once for some periods of time)
I used to be able to stand and walk on my hands for periods of time. (I haven’t tried this one that much in recent years.)

Interests: I’m an avid runner – I’ve run several half marathons and might one day be foolish enough to run a full marathon. I have an interest in improving my skills with computer programming languages. I also want to continue to work to improve my proficiency with foreign languages.

Biography: I have lived in several parts of the country but have called Houston home for the last seventeen years. For the first decade or so after moving to Houston, I worked as a research scientist at Chevron.

Working at Choice Tutoring and meeting so many wonderful students has been more rewarding for me than I could have imagined. I enjoy both working with the students to help them achieve their educational goals and hearing about what wonderful things they are doing outside of class.

I want the students to know that I am always willing to go the extra mile to help them get to where they need to be.

Future Goals: I wish to continue learning because life is always about continuing to learn. These days, when time permits, I’m doing my best to become more proficient about improving my skills with a number of computer programming languages to help both in tutoring and in outside interests.

Educational Background:
B.A. in Chemistry and Physics from Harvard University
M.B.A. from Rice University