I have been teaching at Bellevue College since 2005. I taught part-time for two quarters and then was hired as a full-time faculty member of the Speech Department. In the summer 2008 quarter, we merged the Speech & the Communication Departments into the Communication Studies Department. I am the current chair of the Communication Studies Department, so feel free to ask me any questions about majoring in this field, transferring, courses to take, etc.
I teach a variety of courses in our department, including Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, and Survey of Speech Communication, Communication in a Diverse Workplace, and Introduction to Mass Media in our department at BC. I am passionate about quality relationships and effective communication.
I attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN, where I studied Communication Studies and Scandinavian Studies (yes, I speak some Swedish). I moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington for my M.A. in Communication.
I am often reminded of the incredible impact that a group of professors had on my overall college experience and my growth as a person; they invested in me and I am forever grateful. I draw upon those interactions on a regular basis. I value education and hope to pass this on to my students. The most rewarding element of teaching for me is watching students gain confidence in themselves as life-long learners. Each day I receive affirmation of the many joys I find in teaching!
I love seeing the Northwest waterways and mountains every day, as I grew up on a farm in the Midwest (Minnesota/South Dakota) and we don’t have any mountains to speak of there. I enjoy music, reading, baking, cooking, being outside, and spending quality time with my husband, our young son, and our golden retriever.