Academic Background
2002-2006
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
Bachelor of Commerce w/ first class standings
1999-2001
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Edmonton, AB
Telecommunications Engineering Technology Diploma
First Language
English
Other Languages
I studied French in elementary and middle school and studied German in high school.
Work Experience
In junior and high school I worked as an apprentice electrician during the summers and I continued my electrical career upon completing high school. I later became interested in the telecommunication side of the industry and decided to pursue a formal education in that field and I enrolled in the Telecommunication Engineering program at NAIT.
Once my studies were complete I obtained a position as an outside sales account specialist in the data communication field. Throughout my sales career I enjoyed solving problems and working with people to assess their needs and provide solutions. The business environments I was exposed to sparked my desire to get more formal education in the business world so I went back to school to obtain my Bachelors of Commerce, specializing in finance and marketing.
Once I completed my undergrad I moved out to Vancouver and began working at TELUS in the Financial Management Development program. This multiyear rotational program allowed me to work in various divisions such as Investor Relations, Capital Management and the Treasury group. The diversity of work allowed me to further enhance my skill set and grow my confidence and interpersonal skills. After my rotational program was completed I yearned to work in a smaller company as the large corporate environment was not complementary to my needs and personality.
I left TELUS and decided to test my entrepreneurial skills and opened my own electrical contracting business. which I grew from the ground up to a large firm in the course of 2 years. My company had excellent employees and a nice portfolio of large projects and it was eventually acquired by a larger company in exchange for cash and a minority equity share in the larger firm.
Due to the financial terms of the buyout I was able to stay at home with my 1 year old daughter for a extended period. During which I began to focus on finding a career that I was fulfilled and passionate about and not solely about a paycheque. From this reflection period I came upon the teaching profession following multiple discussions with former and current teachers.
Volunteer Work
When I was obtaining by BCom degree I was a member of the “Prime” fund where I managed a portion of the University of Alberta’s endowment fund. I previously worked as a volunteer board member with the Canadian liver foundation in 2007 and 2008. Most recently I volunteered 2 days a week at the Henry Hudson Elementary school in Kitsilano, working in various classrooms ranging from K up to 7 from October 2013 to May 2014.
Working with children with Special Needs
During my time volunteering at the Henry Hudson school I worked one on one with children with various learning needs in different age levels, giving them the extra attention that was required to complete tasks.
Teaching as a Vocation
During my downtime following the buyout of my company I had time to reflect on what I liked about all of my former careers and a common theme I discover was that I enjoyed working with other and training/educating people. I have always loved children but after my daughter was born I really began to love teaching her new things and fostering her learning. The coupling of my two passions, educating and children, led me to investigate the teaching profession through volunteering at an elementary school. Once I started volunteering I knew right away that this was for me as I got a real sense of pride and happiness each day.
IB Cohort Selection
I chose the IB cohort because I am interested in different learning methodologies to supplement the traditional systems, as I feel one can never have enough tools at their disposal in regards to educating. Another reason the IB cohort interested me is the possible international career opportunities and the international perspective of the IB program.
What are your hopes and expectations for the coming year?
My goals for this year are to build a solid framework on how to educate elementary students and gather as much information which I can use later in my career. I also hope to build a solid network from my cohort to share ideas and support each other in our careers going forward. I aim to be fully ready to take on a teaching role and succeed by the end of the school year.
Extracurricular Activities
In my spare time I enjoy playing sports such as hockey, soccer, softball and squash. I also enjoy travelling, woodworking, cooking and spending time with my 2 year old daughter.