About
As an historian, international speaker, and curriculum specialist, I am committed to advancing Holocaust and human rights education. With over three decades of experience, including work at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and as a history teacher and founder of Humanus Network, I help educators gain confidence and navigate the complexities of teaching difficult history, equipping them to confront contemporary challenges such as rising authoritarianism, antisemitism, and threats to democracy.
Through curriculum development, training programs, and immersive educational experiences—like the “Power of Place”: European Summer Institute for Holocaust Educators—I’ve reached over 1,500 educators and 120,000 students. My clients include leading institutions such as the Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities, Illinois Holocaust Museum, Jewish Community Relations Council of MN and the Dakotas, and Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre.
In addition, my professional network includes longstanding relationships with some of the field’s leading voices—Paul Salmons, Carl Wilkens, Alexandra Zapruder—whose work continues to shape global conversations in Holocaust and genocide education. Partnering with me means tapping into both my deep expertise and my trusted network of thought leaders whose insights enrich every engagement.
Whether facilitating professional development, designing impactful resources, or advising on pedagogy, I create learning experiences that inspire reflection, deepen understanding, and empower action. Because “Never Again” must be more than a promise—it must be a practice.
Founding Director, Humanus Network | 2018 - Present
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | 2013 - 2018
History Educator | 1992 - 2012
M.A., Educational Leadership
B.A., History and Political Science
B.S., Social Studies Education
Curriculum and Instruction Specialist Licensure
Professional Experience and Education
Honors and Awards
Education Advisory Board Member | Friends of the National WWII Memorial, Washington, DC | 2017-2018
International Editorial Board Member | Human Rights Ed Review, University College of SE Norway | 2017-2018
International Education Innovation Team Award | USHMM, Washington, DC | 2015
Data and Metrics Inaugural Project Team Award | USHMM, Washington, DC | 2015
Holocaust Educator’s Summit | Embassy of Poland, Washington, D.C. and Polish Consulate, Warsaw, Poland | 2012
Teacher of the Year | Redwood Valley Middle School, Redwood Falls, MN | 2011
Mandel Teacher Fellowship | USHMM, Washington, DC | 2003 - 2004
Why Travel?
In addition to Holocaust and human rights education, I’m deeply passionate about travel and its ability to open minds, foster empathy, and deepen historical understanding. Throughout my career, I’ve merged these passions—first by launching a student travel company that led history-focused tours to cities like Washington, D.C., New York, and across Europe, and later through professional roles that took me on African safaris and into the jungles of Vietnam to strengthen educational insight through lived experience.
Today, I design and lead “The Power of Place,” a deeply immersive European program for Holocaust educators that explores authentic historical sites and connects past atrocities to current global challenges. As we lose survivors, visiting these places becomes essential—they stand as silent witnesses, preserving truth in an age where facts are too often under threat. These journeys don’t just teach history—they illuminate our shared humanity.