I believe leadership begins with service and is measured by the opportunities we create for others. As a multilingual special educator, Technology Coordinator, adjunct professor, educational technology scholar, and advocate, my work is grounded in a commitment to expanding access, representation, and belonging for historically marginalized communities. Growing up within a multicultural family and as the grandchild of refugees has profoundly shaped both my personal journey and professional purpose. These experiences inspired a lifelong commitment to serving immigrant, refugee, newcomer, multilingual, and disability communities through education, technology, research, and advocacy.
Working alongside students and families from diverse cultural, linguistic, and disability backgrounds has taught me that equitable education requires more than simply providing access to a classroom or digital tool. It requires listening to communities, recognizing each learner’s language, culture, identity, strengths, and lived experiences, and intentionally removing the barriers that limit participation. These lessons continue to shape my scholarship, which examines the intersections of disability, migration, culture, language, and educational technology, with a particular focus on expanding educational opportunities for resettled refugees with disabilities.
My leadership is reflected in the work represented throughout this section: developing accessible technology initiatives for students with multiple disabilities, creating culturally responsive programs, teaching and mentoring future educators, advancing research, collaborating with community organizations, and designing learning experiences that allow individuals to participate in ways that honor how they communicate and learn. Whether I am leading schoolwide technology implementation, teaching in higher education, presenting scholarly work, conducting research, or serving alongside community partners, I strive to connect knowledge with action.
My goal is not simply to introduce new ideas or technologies. It is to ensure that innovation results in greater access, independence, dignity, representation, and opportunity. I seek to lead in ways that are responsive rather than performative, collaborative rather than imposed, and sustainable beyond my individual involvement. The photographs and artifacts below represent the communities, relationships, and experiences that have shaped my leadership and demonstrate my ongoing commitment to turning scholarship into meaningful service and lasting change.
Service & Leadership:
Empowering Through Education
Innovation
How can we increase innovative educational and technological approaches for refugees with disabilities and resettled students?
Inclusivity
What does research say about inclusive practices for English language learners with disabilities? What inclusive practices exist in the United States and internationally? Discover more as I explore effective teaching and technological methods.
Justice
How can we use technological advancements to incorporate culturally responsive teaching methods and trauma-informed learning?
Fight for educational justice.
At Your Service:
Attended the NJCU EdTech Reception
2024 - 2025
Trained in the SONDAY Curriculum and differentiated and created educational games tailored to Special Ed Bilingual ESL Students
Won the Autism Acceptance Door Contest for Jersey City Public Schools
I founded a Henna Club that engaged more than 60 students in cultural expression, creativity, leadership, and community-building.
Received ESL and Bilingual Teaching in Spanish Certifications of the New Jersey Department of Education
Recognized by Malala Yousafzai on TikTok, ran our school’s TikTok page, created and produced videos that reached 2.1 million views
Created a Calming Room for Students at Franklin L. Williams Middle School #7 in Jersey City, NJ
Became an Adjunct Professor of NJCU’s New Pathways
As an adjunct professor New Pathways to Teaching, I designed graduate and educator-preparation courses and syllabi for Building Meaningful Curriculum in Early Childhood Education
Taught an Adult ESL Course through the JC Public Library to Newly Arrived Mothers in Jersey City
Began New Position at A. Harry Moore Laboratory School as a Special Education Teacher teaching Family Consumer Science
Accepted to speak at the CIES Conference in California and accepted as a Mentee for the New Scholars Committee
I contributed to the redesign of the school website and supported digital communication, social media, event coverage, and school storytelling.
I helped strengthen partnerships with the Jersey City Free Public Library, Liberty Science Center, Cole the Deaf Dog & Friends, Tandem, and other community organizations.
At the 2026 Comparative and International Education Society Annual Conference, I presented Intersectional Perspectives on Education for Resettled Refugees With Disabilities in the United States, advancing my research on disability, migration, culture, educational access, and technology-supported systems of care
I attended the ALL IN for Inclusive Education Spring Conference, where I explored inclusive practices, discovered Tandem’s AI-supported IEP platform, and connected with TCNJ’s Center for Assistive Technology to support future collaboration at A. Harry Moore Laboratory School.
2025-2026
2026-2027
What you will see this year:
PD Session on Assistive Technology
Presenting at more conferences
Publications
Invited to speak on Indigenous People’s Day in Rhode Island about the Palestinian Genocide
Developed the foundation for Special Education Without Borders, a podcast series exploring disability, education, culture, migration, and inclusive practices across global contexts.
I was accepted into Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society in Education
Designed and led a weeklong Hour of Code and Hour of AI initiative for 24 classrooms and students ages 3–21. Students participated in coding through touch access, eye gaze, switches, AAC, and partner-assisted scanning, demonstrating that computer science can be accessible to every learner.
I was selected to present Inclusive EdTech in Action: Supporting Multilingual Learners and Students with Disabilities Through Accessible Technology at the NJECC Annual Conference. Although I was unable to attend due to a death in my family, the acceptance affirmed the relevance of my work in accessible and inclusive educational technology.
I was selected for the CIES New Scholars Publications Mentoring Workshop, where I received guidance and scholarly feedback to strengthen my research manuscript, clarify its policy implications, and further develop its connection to my dissertation.
Became a member of the Comparative & International Education Society’s South Asia Special Interest Group
Started teaching graduate and educator-preparation courses in the Special Education Department that connect research, inclusive practice, assistive technology, assessment, and authentic classroom application.
Throughout five days of the CIES Annual Conference in San Francisco, I attended workshops, panels, mentoring sessions, and presentations featuring research from around the world. These experiences expanded my understanding of international education, refugee education, disability inclusion, educational technology, policy, and culturally responsive leadership. CIES 2026 took place from March 28 through April 1 in San Francisco.
I was selected as a 2026–2027 NJLEND Fellow through The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, where I will strengthen my leadership in disability advocacy, family-centered practice, policy, and systems change.
Attended the 2025 North American Refugee Health Conference
As a Demonstration Teacher in the L.I.F.T. Program, I designed accessible, technology-supported instruction for transition-age students with multiple disabilities. I taught Extended School Year, activities of daily living, Family and Consumer Science, Spanish, functional academics, career readiness, and community-based instruction. I also created accessible photography and henna workshops and led initiatives that promoted independence, self-expression, confidence, and preparation for adult life.
Elected as Secretary of the CIES Special Interest Group: The Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) where I support collaboration, communication, and meaningful engagement among emerging scholars exploring educational technology.
I met with Fatima Abdelwahab of Sesame Workshop to discuss inclusive education, displaced learners, and future partnership opportunities connected to my research and educational technology work.
My Educator Toolkit
This site “provides free resources to educators—teachers, administrators, counselors and other practitioners—who work with children from kindergarten through high school. Educators can use these materials to supplement the curriculum, to inform their practices, and to create inclusive school communities where children and youth are respected, valued and welcome participants”.
“Abolitionist Teaching Network is a network of critical educators committed to the abolition of the school-prison nexus and the radical transformation of all learning spaces. Year round, they host political education, healing justice, and affinity group events for educators, organizers, students, and parents/caregivers. Follow us on socials to stay up to date”.
The IRC and Sesame Workshop are collaborating on a program called Ahlan Simsim to provide educational support to children in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq. The program aims to help young refugees and their families cope with crisis and build a brighter future.