I am originally from Detroit, Michigan. My parents immigrated to the US from the Philippines in the late 1960’s. We moved to California in 1980 because Michigan was predominantly Caucasian and my parents noticed that I had difficulty fitting in. I was raised in Carson, California, where I met my first Samoan friends at Carnegie Junior High School. I currently live in Torrance.
I currently hold a B.A. in Music Education, a M.Ed. in e-Learning & Technology, and am currently a Doctoral Candidate at Northcentral University. I should be finishing my Ed.D. in e-Learning in Summer 2021.
I started teaching music at Roosevelt Elementary School in the Lawndale School District, Spring of 1998. I then taught orchestra and band at Fleming Middle School (LAUSD) in Lomita from 1998-2004. Looking to teach students of a higher caliber, I became the band director at Leuzinger High School from 2004-2008, where I started the competitive marching band and drumline program. Looking for a different type of music program, I transferred to Lawndale High School in Fall of 2008, teaching all Rock Band Classes and a Jazz Band. Since arriving at Lawndale High School, I have taught every part of the music program from Commercial Music, Choir, Advanced and Beginning Band, Music Appreciation, Stage Band, Ukulele, and Commercial Music Theory. Today, I am joined by two teachers to help expand Lawndale’s growing music program, Mr. Luis Rodriguez and Mr. Christopher Mross.
I currently teach Ukulele, Piano, and Digital Music Production classes. I studied piano privately with Dr. Konstantin Sirounian (former pupil of Aram Khachaturian), Delores Stevens, and Myrna Mascardo. In 2010, I studied ukulele with Mitch Chang, and was a featured teacher in CTA Magazine's May/June 2017 issue for pioneering the High School Ukulele Program in California.
After noticing an influx of Tongan students at Lawndale High School (mostly due to our school’s football team), I designed a UC-approved Ukulele class that includes music from the Pacific Islander culture. As a staff member of the National Pacific Islander Educators Network (NPIEN), I co-advise the Pacific Islander Club with Mrs. Lealiiee, to help our Pacific Islander girls have a place to feel safe, share dances and their culture with other students and feel like they belong in our school community.
After school and on weekends, I spend time with my family, work on my dissertation, learn more about Educational Technology, or work as an Independent Distributor for Norwex. I have been married for twelve years and have a daughter in the second grade.