Biography:
Professionally: I completed a bachelor's degree and certification in K-12 physical education and 5-12 social studies at West Virginia University. I returned after three years to complete a master's degree in physical education - master teacher in motor development. After experiencing a continuous shift in teaching placements, I returned once again to complete a second master's degree in Health Education. After gaining K-12 experience teaching in West Virginia's public schools, I accepted a three-year position through the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center as the north-central program director for the National Cancer Institute's “Appalachian Leadership Initiative on Cancer.” This project sent me throughout West Virginia and Ohio to facilitate cancer education through the community health promotion coalition network. Since then I have completed 10 years of teaching in higher education. As a Texas A&M University doctoral student, I am currently working to complete a Ph.D. in Health Education. My studies, research and teaching focus are on issues of School Health - specifically "the elementary pre-service teacher training of health education" and "strategies for implementing school health in the elementary classroom." Concurrently, I am an adjunct instructor of health education here at FSU, working in the Department of Health & Human Performance.
Personally: I love horseback riding, snow and water skiing, climbing, traveling, my terrier “Lacey” and most importantly, my daughter “Kayla” who is my all-star!
What have you learned while teaching at Fairmont State?:
I am working to expand my computer capabilities by participating in a course to develop an online Human Sexuality course for my students.
What do students like best about your class?:
I am well versed and current in the field of health education and passionate about its value and contribution to society's over-all wellbeing. My classes incorporate interactive, collaborative, problem-solving strategies designed to put my students in the “instructional” mindset, helping them transfer from the role of student to educator. My classes provide students with a safe environment for the questioning of information, the sharing of ideas and the challenging of opinions. The goal for my students is twofold: to expand their perspective on the diversity and impact of health issues facing American's, and to provide meaningful information, resources and experiences that will positively impact their life-long health choices and behaviors.
