I was at ISS from 1985 to 1989.

Currently, I am residing in Guangzhou, China.

What I remembered the most about ISS was the community — not just the relationships that made with my friends, but also the connection I made with the teachers. Being an international student really made me understand the variety of ways people have in common regardless of the country or culture they are from. The experience made me more open-minded, sympathetic, flexible in my thinking, and be a global citizen.

I finished high school in the U.S. since I left ISS at Grade 11. I went to Northern Illinois University to study fine arts and went to the University of Pennsylvania to get my Master of Fine Arts — in painting. I have been working as a professional artist since 1999 and I’m also certified as a K-12 art teacher. I was teaching Elementary and High School in the U.S. for a few years and then in 2014, I started teaching at an international school here in China. In 2021, I’ll be going to a school in Hong Kong.

The ISS photo below was from the year book. It was Valentine’s Day and we went to different classrooms singing love songs to students — interrupting class and sounding really, really bad. Lots of fun and very memorable.