After leaving the University of Michigan I spent the next 13 years in the food service industry working for a string of independent restaurateurs hoping to one day fulfill my dream of opening my own place. I served as a chef and/or manager in a variety of businesses ranging from gourmet pizza places, classic seafood joints, and high class Italian restaurants. I eventually realized that my future was elsewhere and I returned to school to take up a career in education.

I serve as one of two administrators at Detroit School of Arts (DSA), the premier performing arts high school in the Detroit area. DSA is part of the newly formed Detroit Public Schools Community District. In my role as Dean of Culture I perform the duties traditionally associated with school Assistant Principals. I manage student behavior issues, I monitor curricular activities (instruction and lesson planning), and I manage operations of DSA's state of the art facility, a center piece of Detroit's Midtown neighborhood. My work at DSA is driven by the belief that teaching and learning is the most important thing in the world. I strive to create a climate and culture that values teaching and learning while fostering a collaborative environment focused on academic rigor and artistic excellence. Show less

Assigned to teach a required, introductory course in Social Foundations, “Schools in a Diverse and Democratic Society.” This was a writing intensive course that introduced pre-service teachers to the history, sociology, and philosophy of education and challenges future teachers to address issues of equity and social justice in their teaching practice.

Over the course of my career I taught all the required courses in the social studies curriculum (United States History, World History, Economics, Civics, Geography, and Global Issues). i also taught Advanced Placement American History. I taught first at Mumford High School and then at Western International High School. My last teaching assignment was at Detroit Institute of Technology where after two years in the classroom I transitioned into a an administrative role that I currently hold at Detroit School of Arts. Show less