After a more than 20-year-long career as a full-time education professional I needed to establish a different, sustainable way of life.    

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I loved the work I did in education and poured everything I had into my varied and accomplished career for a long time. I have always believed in the social good education provides (systemic flaws notwithstanding), and remain dedicated to the importance of an educated society. It has always been extremely gratifying to contribute to the growth and learning of children and future educators through instruction and scholarship...but I also found it nearly all-consuming and personally depleting. Over recent decades socio-political shifts have significantly altered the parameters of teaching and learning at all levels, what transpires in classrooms (and no longer does), and fundamentally changed the role of educators and educational institutions in communities and culture. Much of what initially drew me to the field is not a current or future reality. And despite forging wonderful bonds with students and contributing to research, administrative, and service efforts year after year, the work I loved didn't—couldn't—love me back.

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On a reflective quest to unearth my most authentic professional desires and points of resonance, I intentionally listened at depths beyond decades' worth of well-practiced, internalized "shoulds."

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My experiences as an academic advisor, student teacher supervisor, graduate student capstone mentor, and more have been built on foundations of secure one-on-one interpersonal connection. Similarly, research projects methodologically founded on open communication with participants invariably prove meaningful and inspiring, as do collaborations with colleagues spanning disciplinary and institutional boundaries. These relationships have been key sources of joy career-long—co-created spaces for safe, goal-oriented exploration of self and work, infused with laughter and sustained by an ethic of genuine care, and leading to growth and progress for all involved. This stood out as a necessary cornerstone of any future professional pursuits to which I would dedicate myself.

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I have always reveled in the generation and focusing of ideas, and finding effective ways to convey those ideas. Even attending to minutia—from formatting to using terms precisely and consistently—appeals to my unabashedly nerdy side. Because of this, colleagues and administrators have again and again elevated me to leadership roles when group work required a culminating report, presentation, or set of documents, or even to take care of emails or newsletters. Guiding development of graduate students' writing skills, habits and practices, and scholarly acumen, as well as contributing substantive feedback to scholars during peer review processes, have provided me with opportunities to empower other authors to express themselves masterfully and with clarity. Each of these experiences honed my understanding of how to reflect and articulate others' perspectives, and of how to help educational authors find and learn to use their voices independently through our collaborative working processes. As standouts throughout my reflection, editing, writing, and mentorship of authors emerged as essential components of my future professional path.

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At the deepest level, I identified my core passion: providing support to people in the educational system in a way that honors the totality of their personhood. I also realized that this passion could be most effectively pursued from an external position.

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I began forging a new path that centers my strengths and values, and addresses professional and personal needs of the communities I wish to serve. Through research, professional development, and insightful engagement with coaches and editors, I got excited about ways in which I could continue to contribute while being liberated from institutionally-ascribed labels. I was inspired to start my own business, and created Transcending the Classroom.