I believe that children shoulder the future, and that it is the role of teachers to prepare students to take on that responsibility. Our society today stands upon centuries of broken systems that we have only just begun to disassemble. Abandoning these legacies starts by empowering young students to become conscientious global citizens who will drive transformation.”
Kelsey’s Story
Teaching Disciplines
Mathematics
Why Mathematics
“I’ve experienced firsthand the ways that learning math can be full of joy, laughter, and connection. I truly feel like teaching math is one of the most special endeavors, despite its many challenges. I recall being deeply touched by Etienne Wenger’s idea: ‘Because learning transforms who we are and what we can do, it is an experience of identity.’ In my own words from earlier in the year: ‘In teaching math, I wield the superpower of expanding a student’s sense of identity and ability. I will guide students to their authentic, brilliant selves.’”
Professional Experience
During her undergraduate studies, Kelsey worked as a software engineering intern at various companies including Gilt Groupe, Twitter, Spotify, Google, and Larke, working mostly on iOS development. Additionally, Kelsey worked as an undergraduate teaching assistant. In 2014, she interned for Girls Who Code, a nonprofit organization that works to close the gender gap in technology by equipping young women with computing skills. This passion for uplifting women in STEM continued in Kelsey’s volunteer work—she spent three years as the president of MIT Codelt—an initiative that seeks to encourage and educate middle school girls in the field of computer science. Following her graduation, Kelsey spent four years working as a software engineer before beginning graduate school and entering the field of education. She worked at Lark, a small health tech startup that is building a digital platform for managing and preventing chronic health conditions, for two years, where she was promoted to the position of senior software engineer. Next, Kelsey spent two years working at Quizlet, where she was part of a small team that migrated Quizlet’s entire collection of study sets onto a new microservice and database architecture.
Kelsey will begin her first year of teaching mathematics at Canyon Crest Academy in San Diego, California, during the 2023–2024 school year.
Hobbies
In her free time, Kelsey enjoys spending time outdoors and going on runs. She is passionate about mental health, and enjoys discussing the topic and increasing awareness by sharing her own knowledge and experiences with others.
Academic Background
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Bachelor of Science in Computer Science)
- Stanford University (Master of Arts in Education)