I grew up in Katy, TX; after graduating from high school, I went to college at SFASU, where I earned a B.S. in Agriculture Development. I taught Agriculture at the high school level for four years in various parts of Texas. After those four years, I ended up taking two years off, and during that time, I was a programs coordinator/ Outdoor Educator/ Ropes Course Facilitator. It was a great time working with kids outside of the classroom. Once Covid shut everything down, I was laid off, and my only choice was to go back to teaching. 

When I am not at work, I enjoy weight lifting, shooting, hiking, fishing, "camping" ( we have a 40' 5th wheel with a memory foam mattress), and I recently became a certified firearms instructor. I am very passionate about firearm safety and helping people overcome their fear surrounding firearms. 

One woman that has inspired me is Temple Grandin. While many do not know of her outside of the Ag Community, I am glad. She is currently a professor at Colorado State University; before that, she worked in Feedlots and developed different methods to help keep livestock calm while being moved within the feed yards. She has revolutionized the livestock industry and continues to do so today! While many may not understand the importance of her developments, what she has struggled with to gain such respect for the community is something that I admire. Unfortunately, she is Autistic and female, which are significant issues within the Ag community. Being Autistic is not the issue, but being different is as the Ag industry is male-driven. She has fought many battles over the years and has overcome more than most people will in their lifetime. She is an inspiration to me because she faces some of the same struggles I do, and she has shown me that with an iron will, dedication, and confidence, you can achieve anything you set your mind to. 

Being a four-year FFA member in high school and then being an Ag Teacher, the FFA has instilled in me that you lead by example. There is a time and place for every kind of leader, but in my eyes, a leader who is willing to get down and dirty and work alongside their peers is the most influential. That leader says they are there to help and not just give out orders. That leader is most respected. If I walk into a school barking orders and ruling with an Iron fist, I may get my peers to perform their duties, but they will not be happy and, as a result, will leave. Happy employees "take care" of their work environments and perform better. 

While being a Counselor does not necessarily put me in a position of authority, it does put me in place to create the best program for my students and provide advice for teachers that may struggle with their students. Being a leader does not always mean being a boss; it can also be someone who takes point on a project. Creating a CSCP takes a tremulous effort. "There are five characteristics that make a good leader, and those are the ability to: educate, motivate, delegate, empower, and provide a vision." (Gleeson, 2016) My job as a counselor and a leader is not only to create a great CSCP but also to know when I can pass on parts of a task. I need to be able to help create a positive environment for everyone on campus by teaching and empowering respect for a diverse population. 

"Transformative leadership is a leadership paradigm that addresses the need for systemic, equitable change in education." (Shields et al., 2017) The world constantly changes, and being able to adapt and evolve is inevitable. A CSCP goes through an annual audit, and evolving the CSCP for the current school population is necessary. I was stuck in my ways for many years. As a result, I had students and parents mad at me because I was unwilling to change and adapt to the environment I was in; once I got out of that mindset and began to adapt to my school environment, my students and I were able to form better relationships, and they are more successful. Counselors lead by using multiple strategies and resources to solve problems, build relationships with stakeholders, and more. (Young, 2013)