Principal's Message

Dear Bulldog Family,

I am honored and excited to be part of the Ione Elementary community. As I begin this journey with you, I want to share a little about who I am and what will guide me as I serve as your principal.

I was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and moved to California when I started first grade. I have been fortunate to have had an incredible educational journey, attending Notre Dame Folsom, Christian Brothers High School, and St. Mary’s College of California.

Family is a huge part of my life. My parents recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, and much of my extended family lives nearby. I am incredibly grateful for the love, support, and strong family values that have shaped who I am today.

My goal is to make a positive difference in the lives of students and families. I believe in teamwork, strong relationships, and creating a school where everyone feels valued and supported. Most importantly, I believe every student deserves adults in their corner who believe in them.

For me, students always come first. I believe the best decisions are made together by listening to students, staff, families, and our community. Respect, communication, honesty, consistency, and follow-through are values I will work to model every day.

My own experiences have shaped who I am. My family taught me the importance of hard work, integrity, individuality, and respect. As a student, I struggled with school and authority, and my journey to becoming a college student-athlete taught me perseverance, accountability, and the importance of having people who believe in you. My experiences working with students and families who face challenges have strengthened my belief in authentic education, inclusion, and meeting each student where they are.

I am grateful for the many people who have helped shape me—my parents, teachers, coaches, and colleagues. Each has taught me something valuable about hard work, accountability, growth, and becoming the best version of myself.

As your principal, you can expect me to work hard, listen, remain open-minded, and have the difficult conversations when they are needed. I believe in leading by example and being willing to do the same things I ask of others.

When challenges arise, I believe in working together, finding common ground, taking responsibility, and giving one another grace. I try to take a breath, step back, and remember one simple question:

Thank you for welcoming me into the Bulldog Family. I look forward to building relationships, learning together, celebrating our successes, and making Ione Elementary a place where every student feels known, valued, supported, and inspired to learn.

Go Bulldogs!