Biography: I’m passionate about helping students develop holistic, sustainable health practices that will serve them well throughout their lives. Growing up in Idaho, I spent much of my time exploring the outdoors on ATVs, boats and bikes, which led to my love for nature and staying active. These days, I enjoy paddle boarding, hiking with my family and going for runs.
As an alum of Northwest Nazarene University (NNU), I have deep ties to the community. I ran track and cross country and participated in the Bella Voce choir during my time here, and those experiences were so formative for me, both personally and professionally. They still inspire my approach to teaching today.
In grad school, my research focused on athlete specialization and how it impacts long-term health. This has shaped my teaching philosophy, and I encourage students to take a balanced approach to fitness and well-being, emphasizing sustainable health practices that last.
Outside of work, I love to paint, and I’ve had the chance to create murals around the Treasure Valley. When I’m not teaching or painting, I’m spending time with my four kids and finding ways to combine my love for fitness, art and family life.
Favorite Thing About Working at NNU: My favorite thing about working at NNU is the relationships I get to build with students. I love getting to work with young adults as they develop their own personal values and figure out what is important to them. Connecting with students is deeply meaningful to me, and I am grateful to every student has trusted me enough to tell me what troubles they are having so I can guide them to appropriate resources.
Share a few facts about your specific area(s) of expertise that you bring to the classroom: Specializing in a single sport at a young age can have detrimental health effects on developing athletes. Having a broader focus on building athleticism, strength, and speed rather than focusing on perfecting the performance of a single sport before middle school is going to produce athletes that are less likely to experience burn out, have lower injury rates, and generally achieve the same level of athletic success compared to their earlier specialized counterparts.
Share a few pieces of information that represent your teaching experience and why you love working with students: There are many, many, different metrics that you can use to keep track of your health. Weight is just one small part of the large picture of your health.
Being active is one of the most effective ways to reduce risk of disease, and should be highly prioritized in any wellness program.
Your health is not a measure of your morality, it is, instead, something to care for in the same way that you get oil changes on your car. Your body exists to be functional for you. I love getting to share this perspective with students because it sets them up to have a healthy relationship with their bodies throughout their lives.