Musical theater orchestra pits to cover bands, having to sightread or learn songs by ear, jam with new musicians or compose with old friends…every day is a different musical experience. I have played with numerous cover bands and original projects over the years all nationally and internationally. Those gigs were learning experiences and preparations for the solo/duo gigs and bands that I have the honor of playing with today and in the future.

When I first started playing the flute at 11 years old, I knew within the first week that I was going to be a music educator. I was so enthralled at the opportunity to play music because of a school that provided the instruments and caring teachers! My training started immediately, even if I was not aware of it, and by the time I was 15 I was teaching private lessons. By 21, I had 60 weekly private students and became a music educator in schools by 25, despite only having an Associates degree at the time. My private lesson studio grew over the years and morphed from in-person to online by 2018 when I went back to school for my Bachelor's and Master's degrees.

After I moved to Hollywood in 2005 I started teaching at public and private schools with during- and after-school classes. By 2012, my skillset expanded into professional developments for classroom and music teachers. My patient, respectful approach to education was in demand more than I was able to keep up with, but I am grateful that so many have chosen to study with me or have me teach at their school.

In June 2017, I took these experiences to other parts of the U.S. via in-person lessons, classes, and professional developments before moving to online-only education in July 2018. I love traveling throughout the country while being able to teach and learn simultaneously!

The initial reason I wanted to be in the band at school was that they traveled, and music has been a source of a lot of traveling I’ve done. From international tours with big bands to national tours with original bands, I have been to all 50 United States and have been exposed to a greater global community.

In 2012, I hopped aboard cruise ship gigs as an orchestra musician and came back in Southern California after 2 ships. Since July 2015, I took my teaching, performing, recording, and roadtripping throughout the US to a whole new level through #vanlife and perform along the way in person and online.

In order to accomplish more of my mission work with equitable access to education I returned to school and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services with a minor in Psychology at Ottawa University Online in June 2018. Continuing my higher education with a Master of Education: Curriculum and Instruction from August 2018-August 2019 gave me the opportunity to dedicate my graduate studies to Guitars in the Classroom. This work expanded GITC’s reach into rural areas of the U.S. as well as the scope of my own teaching. It was serendipitous and fortuitous that my graduate work prepared GITC to go online exclusively during the pandemic. They've taken it to the next level and continue to give online classes to this day!

My favorite aspect of being a musician is composing and collaborating with others. The solo movie/album venture I dedicated many years to gave me experience with recording technologies that have led to many other opportunities. With Pro Tools, Logic ProX, Sony Vegas Pro, and Final Cut Pro, I have been able to enhance student progress, create demo and promotional videos, and make a musical theater documentary.

The arranging I have done for music of all styles, from etudes for aspiring musicians to orchestral jazz arrangements with full score notation, have continued to challenge my musicianship. I’ve arranged for school orchestras, educational institutes, cruise ship guest entertainers, and cover band. My favorite arrangements tend to be the songs I perform as a solo guitarist, relishing in the challenge of making a song sound complete with just one instrument while playing the chords, melody, and rhythmic nuances.