A subway ad changed my life. It said, "You remember your first grade teacher's name. Who will remember yours?" At the time I was working long hours as a market research analyst and I was trying to find purpose in what I did. That day on the subway, I started wondering why I was wasting time doing something about which I did not feel passionate. A few months later, I decided to apply to the program advertised in the subway: the New York City Teaching Fellows.

As an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, I majored in psychology and communications. I loved doing research and spent two years working on an intensive independent research project while I was there. Although I loved the research component of the work, the field of psychology did not capture my interest. After graduation, I decided to try out market research. I spent three years conducting market research and analyzing consumer buying behavior at ACNielsen BASES. Again, I found I loved the research component, but I didn't feel passionate about the business side. After seeing that ad on the subway, I realized that what I liked about both psychology and market research was studying why people acted the way they did, what influenced their behavior, and how they made decisions. What better place to investigate human behavior than a classroom?

The moment I stepped into the classroom, I fell in love with teaching. I loved interacting with the students, creating lessons, and helping students succeed. Over the past five years, I have taught in a big elementary school and a small middle school in the South Bronx. I always seek out ways to help the school improve and try to contribute positively in any way I can, whether it be as a member of the discipline committee or the principal's advisory cabinet.

When my school began an action research team this year, I was asked to be a lead teacher on the team. I jumped at this opportunity. This experience has married my two loves: research and education. This fall, I will be bringing these experiences to a brand new middle school opening in the Bronx. The school's mission includes preparing students for college. I am excited to be part of a team that has the potential to take middle school to a new level.

I am thrilled to be a Classroom Teaching Ambassador Fellow. This opportunity will allow me to share my experiences with other educators and learn from theirs. While I have had experience developing effective strategies and policies in my school, I am excited to take this to the next step and develop my experience beyond the local level.

Outside of work, I enjoy traveling and spending time with family and friends. This summer, I am spending two weeks exploring Spain, starting in the city of Barcelona and ending on the beaches of Ibiza.