True Leadership Starts with Relationships and Connection
From Math Teacher to Educational Leader: A Journey of Self-Discovery at Sandia Prep
Discovering the Leader I Never Expected to Become
I'm entering my 17th year at Sandia Prep. Before joining Prep, I was a math teacher in our public school system. I never imagined myself becoming an administrator and felt truly fulfilled working with my students. Sandia Prep showed me what education can—and should—look like for all students in New Mexico and across the nation. It also helped me discover strengths in myself that I never knew were possible.
When I first arrived at Prep, I was a full-time math teacher, teaching both middle and high school mathematics. Shortly afterward, I became a grade-level lead and the Dean of Students for seventh and eighth grade.
I was hesitant to accept the Dean of Students role because I had no interest in becoming an administrator. My husband encouraged me to go through the interview process anyway. Throughout that process, I realized it would be an opportunity to expand my "classroom" and engage with even more students, teachers, and families in our community.
Because I had the privilege of working alongside some of the finest educators, I accepted the position.
Dean of Students
As Dean of Students, I struggled at first.
What kind of leader was I?
How would I inspire others to be their best while also holding them accountable?
As a teacher, I was known for holding students to high standards and building strong relationships with each of them. In this new role, I worried that I had to become someone who simply enforced discipline and assigned consequences to students who made poor choices.
It took an entire year for me to realize that all I had to do was be myself.
Our community needed someone who could hold students accountable while also seeing them for who they were and recognizing all the wonderful possibilities they had to offer.
Some of the most rewarding work I experienced as Dean came from partnering with families to navigate difficult situations. Strong relationships were formed because we worked together to help their children understand, reflect, and, yes, be accountable for their actions.
We worked as a team to help each child become their very best.
To this day, parents still reach out to me and reflect on those difficult seasons. Because we worked through them together, we've built lasting relationships that feel more like family. Sometimes, parents even joke about the challenges we overcame together.
Assistant Head of School for Middle School
Two years after becoming Dean of Students, I was promoted to Assistant Head of School for Middle School. My connection with our community continued to grow as I had the privilege of supporting and serving our teachers in a new capacity.
Through this work, I have learned that true leaders don't manage people—they serve and support them by providing the resources they need to succeed.
True leaders are curious, creative, and flexible. They build on the strengths of others rather than focusing on weaknesses. They see, hear, understand, empower, and serve. They advocate for others, remove barriers, and provide the support people need to thrive.
True leaders also strive to model the values and behaviors that strengthen their communities while continually working to become better themselves.
I have always worked to improve my own leadership by participating in professional development, workshops, and ongoing learning. I want to inspire our students and teachers by modeling a commitment to growth. I also make time to care for myself so that I can better care for others.
People come into my office for many different reasons. Whatever brings them there, I want them to leave knowing they were seen, cared for, and valued.
That all begins with strong relationships and genuine connection.
After 16 years at Sandia Prep, I still smile every time my key unlocks my office door. I still can't believe I get to work here.
Although my roles have changed over the years, one thing has remained constant: the compassion and kindness I experience from the Prep community every day.
My hope is that I now help our students and teachers discover strengths within themselves that they never knew were possible—just as Sandia Prep helped me discover mine.
