About me

Seven years ago I moved up to New York City from Maryland to pursue a career in comedy. I had just earned my degree from University of Maryland in Microbiology, but I knew that the medical field was not for me. Soon after I moved, I got a job working as a counselor for an After School at the 14th Street Y. I immediately fell in love with the job. Working with kids gave me a chance to be a kid myself, get creative, and be funny all while working.

That summer, I worked as the the Unit Head for Science and Technology at the associated day camp. I loved working with kids and teaching them the wonders of science all around them. We would go on hikes and I would point out all the mushrooms and insects that might otherwise go unnoticed, and it was a joy to watch them interact with their surroundings much like I did when I was young.

Less than a year later I was promoted to Program Coordinator at that same after school program. I spent the next three years working with school age kids from all around the East Village. It was so fun to watch them grow, learn, and develop from kindergarten to fifth grade. It was also incredibly rewarding to be a part of that process. I especially enjoyed working with the kids who struggled and were being disciplined frequently. Since I had a desk in the office, I would get to know the kids who were sent to me and labeled as "trouble". Spending time with those kids helped me to see them in a different light than most people had, as an individual with wants, needs, and desires, but sometimes just with issues getting distracted or restless. It was especially rewarding to watch the kids who struggled, slowly but surely, get to a point where they were successful in class and in the program and would go from receiving mostly negative feedback to getting more and more positive feedback. I once got a note from a child who had struggled immensely over the year but had made a lot of progress. The note said, "thank you for helping me be who I am."

I was promoted again in 2016 to Director of School Year Youth Programs for the 14th Street Y. While it was exciting and challenging to work with a team of adults to serve over 300 children year round through programs ranging from ballet to board games, I decided to leave the agency this fall. I am so happy that this job helped reveal something about me I never really knew, that I love kids and families. I hope to do more work through this agency with families all over the city!