I first discovered Shanti Bhavan in 2017, through the documentary series Daughters of Destiny. I was on a plane ride after finishing some work abroad. I was brought to tears by the student’s endurance and the school’s holistic approach to loving and teaching students. (And yes, the other passengers avoided eye contact with me for the rest of the flight.)
At the time, I was professionally and personally frustrated. While I was incredibly proud of my work in low-resource schools, I couldn’t believe the scarcity of long-term resources for low-income families. While I wanted to quit everything then and there and move to India, I was already enrolled in graduate school and later took another job. However, in 2023, after another few frustrating education systems, I remembered the small and sunny school in rural Tamil Nadu and decided to apply.
I served as the Academic Administrator from 2023-2025 and found every day an opportunity for professional growth and meaningful, personal work. During this time, I taught and supported children of all ages. Shanti Bhavan kids are a lot of things: smart, hardworking, caring, but most of all, they are just pure fun to be around. I’ve also worked closely with the true heroes of Shanti Bhavan: our house mothers, staff members, and teachers. I am incredibly thankful to work alongside such dedicated, caring, and thoughtful individuals.
Currently, I serve as the Teaching and Learning Supervisor at Shanti Bhavan, where I’m lucky enough to be involved with everything educational. On most days, you can find me observing or collaborating with a teacher, creating a study plan with a student, or developing curriculum. I’m also (less officially) the drum teacher for our musicians on campus.
I earned a Bachelor’s in English from Truman State University and a Master’s in Education from Harvard University, but I am most proud of my Peace Corps service in Ethiopia. Before Shanti Bhavan, I worked in Thailand, Malaysia, China, and several other Asian countries.
I love the outdoors and can often be found trying (with heavy stress on trying) to identify trees, flowers, and birds.