About Us

Throughout my teaching career, I’ve incorporated animal issues into classroom lessons. I’ve witnessed reluctant readers become motivated after learning about the plight of animals. I’ve also seen apathetic students with difficult behavior issues become the fiercest protectors of animals. Kids love animals, and we can use this inclination to help them not only learn academic content but also develop compassion.

As a former classroom teacher, I’m well aware of the demands placed on educators as well as their daily stresses. I also know that there are many teachers who understand that bringing animal issues into their classroom has great benefits to animals and children alike. Teachers have so little time these days, and in many cases, so little freedom to include “extra” lessons on anything that isn’t in the mandated curriculum. So I’m here to help you! Our lessons and other resources help you teach academic skills and foster empathy for animals simultaneously (we like to call that “feeding two birds with one scone”).

Here at TeachKind, I create lessons, conduct teacher workshops and classroom presentations, collaborate with schools and other organizations, and correspond with educators who want to make a difference for animals. Don’t hesitate to contact me for help with incorporating animal issues into your curriculum, and please share with us the great lessons that you create on your own.

I look forward to working with you.

I am a member of the TriBeta National Biological Honor Society, the National Science Teachers Association, the National Association of Biology Teachers, the Association for Science Teacher Education, and the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society. Before coming to PETA, I worked in the biotech industry developing hematopoietic stem cell expansion and cryogenic media. Microscopy, particularly fluorescence, is my favorite!

In my position at PETA, I help educators replace animal dissection and experiments with comprehensive and interactive software programs. My team and I have helped implement several statewide and district-level dissection-choice policies with software donations to schools all around the world.

As an educator and a parent, I know that animals are not ours to use for education—or for any reason. My passion for animals and humane science is paramount, so I’m thrilled to effect ethical change in science education.

My role at PETA combines my advocacy for animal rights with my background in science education and policy. I provide teachers, school districts, state education agencies, and legislative bodies with support and guidance in developing humane education policies to end animal exploitation in schools, especially in science classes, which often use animals in the curriculum. Children and teenagers have a natural empathy for animals, and it’s very rewarding to help schools promote compassion for all sentient beings by implementing policies that foster and guide that natural empathy to make the world a better place for all of us.

As a science instructor, I believe that educators are important role models for young people and that the principle of showing kindness to all should be reflected in their work, providing students with the opportunity to exercise compassion in a space where core impressions and ideas are developed. At PETA, I work closely with educators and policymakers, helping them make the transition to ethical practices.

I’ve been vegan for seven years, since the age of 18, when I truly started to understand the magnitude of animal exploitation. By then, I had finished 12 years of standard schooling but was just discovering compassion for animals. It all starts with education, which is why it’s a pleasure to lead a new way of teaching and learning that extends consideration to all sentient beings, both inside and outside the classroom.

I’ve always had a passion for children and education, and I’m thrilled to be able to combine that with PETA’s mission for animal rights in my role at TeachKind. I believe that creating a kinder world begins with children, and teaching them how to relate to the animals we share the world with is key to instilling compassion and empathy at an early age. I’m fortunate to work alongside some of the kindest people out there, and we’re all striving to support educators, schools, and parents in teaching young people to be kind to all animals, regardless of species. Contact TeachKind today if we can help in any way with your education needs!

I grew up in a family with many animal companions, and my parents were always ready to take in an animal in need. From an early age, this nurtured in me a deep love for all sentient beings and a strong desire to support and protect those who are exploited or cannot meet their own needs. After briefly pursuing what I thought would be an idyllic career caring for goats and making cheese from their milk, I quickly realized through studying the processes involved that there’s nothing compassionate about taking another animal’s milk. I went vegan and never looked back.

The opportunity to blend my love for all animals with the joy I find in connecting with children is what led me to TeachKind. I’m here to support teachers, kids, and families as they work to end speciesism. I consider it an honor to assist you and your students in creating a kinder world together, and I look forward to collaborating with you.

During my time as a health educator, I discovered my love for social media content creation and digital marketing. I realized that I could use my skills in these areas to help animals in my free time. I went on to create a blog and a TikTok account dedicated to informing people about how to care for their guinea pig and hamster companions. This project inspired me to follow my dream and pursue a full-time career helping animals. That’s when I found TeachKind and PETA Kids. 

My position allows me to stay involved in everything I care about most. Not only do I get to use what I’ve learned from my experience in education, I also get the opportunity to highlight my strengths in content creation, all while advocating for animals and a kinder future. I’m so grateful to be a part of a team that spreads compassion and encourages young people to stand up for what they believe in.

Before stepping into this role, I had the joy of collaborating with PETA Kids to create fun, educational content alongside my kids, Dani and Lana. One of my favorite projects was 10 Questions Every Vegan Kid Gets Asked—a lighthearted video that answered common questions with kid-friendly humor. Working with my kids and PETA Kids to make these videos has been such a blast! I love seeing how content can spark curiosity and start conversations, helping kids and families connect, learn, and grow together. Through PETA Kids, we’re showing why compassion matters and encouraging families to embrace a lifestyle rooted in empathy.

I’m a proud grad of UMass Amherst and Northeastern University, but it’s the chapters I’ve written since then, as a mom and animal advocate, that means the most to me.

In my role with PETA, I work with youth educators to coordinate and schedule presentations with TeachKind’s animatronic animals at elementary schools and youth programs throughout the country. I oversee the TeachKind tour team, which travels extensively in order to bring the message of empathy to young students everywhere.

I was born into a vegetarian family, went vegan in 2012, and have always had a deep desire to raise awareness of how our actions affect other animals while sharing how simple it can be to make a huge, positive difference. I’m overjoyed to be spending my days connecting with humane educators and working with them to help foster students’ natural compassion and empathy for all sentient beings.

Now, I help bring our life-sized animatronic educators—Carly the Cow and Ellie the Elephant—to elementary schools and youth programs across the country. My goal is to inspire the next generation to think critically, act kindly, and become ambassadors for animals.

At PETA, I have traveled with our robotic animals, Carly the Cow and Ellie the Elephant, teaching lessons in empathy for animals to students across the United States. I assist with troubleshooting, training, and event outreach for our Carly and Ellie tour teams. I’ve also developed educational resources to help educators foster compassion in their students. My background in creative teaching strategies and tech savviness has allowed me to bring unique value to TeachKind and PETA.

Growing up in rural East Tennessee, farms that used other animals were a part of my everyday experience. Appalachian culture instilled in me a deep respect for nature, justice, and freedom. As a result, a passion to understand and help others has always been part of who I am. My biggest regret is that I spent so many years with a blind spot for other animals. I have dedicated my life to helping others see that all trails lead to animal liberation.

I consider it essential to find common ground with others when it comes to animal rights and speciesism. Humans often struggle to realize how much our choices affect other animals. So it’s important for me, especially in my work with families, to cultivate understanding in a gentle and informative way.

My journey toward advocating for animals began at the age of 9, when I discovered that the burger I was eating was made from a cow. I immediately asked my parents if I could stop eating animals, and since then, I’ve been meat-free. During high school, after learning about the cruelty of the dairy industry, I went vegan. This ignited a deep passion within me to address animal-related issues and promote kindness toward all sentient beings.

I believe that children possess a natural empathy for other species, and it’s crucial for us to nurture and cultivate it. By instilling kindness from a young age, we can contribute to the development of a more inclusive and compassionate society. At PETA Kids, my role involves sharing content with families, providing guidance on advocating for animals, fostering relationships, generating new ideas on animal issues, and overseeing various kid-friendly projects. I strive to inspire empathy and kindness in families across the U.S. and beyond through our social media platforms and the PETA Kids membership program.