Meet the advising team

I am a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma and earned my Bachelor of Science in Health & Human Performance from Northeastern State University. I then earned a Master of Science in Sport Management, followed by a Ph.D. in Adult & Higher Education from the University of Oklahoma. Prior to this role, I spent over 20 years serving in college athletics, serving as both an Associate Athletics Director for Compliance and an Associate Athletics Director for Academic & Student Services, and teaching courses in Career Development and Academic Strategies.

During my senior year at NSU, I was not accepted into Physical Therapy school and had to change my major to athletic training, extending my graduation to a fifth year. Although I was devasted, I quickly learned through my mentors that I had other options to achieve my goals. Then, again, in graduate school I fell in love with a class second semester that my mentor was teaching, and I changed my focus from athletic training to sport management. Later, I had the opportunity to work for that same mentor, who encouraged me to apply for the doctoral program in education at OU. If I had not had the mentorship he provided, I do not know if I would be where I am today. I want to provide students with that same type of mentorship.

Through these experiences I have learned that my passion lies in helping students achieve their goals. My research interests include academic motivation, retention, and persistence. My personal advising philosophy is centered around a holistic student development approach that supports your academic, personal, and professional success. I am excited to help bring this new team together as a collaborative and positive leader, who will focus on providing excellent service to you so you can achieve your goals.

I grew up in Verdigris, Oklahoma, and graduated from Claremore High School. I have a B.A. in Psychology from Northeastern State University and a Master of Human Relations-Organizational Development from the University of Oklahoma.

I was 17 years old when I started college. I had no clue what I wanted to be when I grew up. I finished all my general education courses by the end of my third semester and had to declare a major by the end of my fourth semester.

I decided to take that fourth semester as an opportunity to explore. I took “Intro” to any class I thought might be interesting and discovered that I loved learning about psychology.

It is okay not to know what you want to be when you grow up or change your mind once you begin classes. I will help you explore your options, support you during your self-discovery and cheer you on to graduation.

I graduated from the University of Tulsa with both my bachelors in Elementary Education and my Masters in School Counseling. I am currently in the 4th year of my Ph.D. in Educational Leadership.

My why for being a Student Success Coach is that I believe that every student can be successful! When I transferred to The University of Tulsa in the spring semester, I remember feeling lost and alone. I struggled to make friends. This was a difficult place for me because up until then, I always had an abundance of friends. About two weeks after classes started, an RA in Lottie Jane introduced me to her friend circle. Eventually, I became a part of this friend group and the rest of my time at TU is something I will cherish for a lifetime! It was the kindness of an RA that helped me find my space here at TU and I’m proud to have the opportunity to pay that kindness forward by helping other students make the TU community their own!

I grew up in Keshena, Wisconsin on the Menominee Reservation. I am a proud member of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin (Bear clan) and descendant of the Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin. I earned my Master of Arts in Counseling and Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration degrees from Lakeland University as well as an Associate degree in Business from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. My seven-year career in higher education began in July 2014 at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. More recently, I spent the last two years as an Academic Advisor at Oklahoma State University. I have been at The University of Tulsa since August 2021.

As your Student Success Coach, I am committed to providing excellent customer service, timely communication, accurate information, and support. I am here to answer academic-related questions, support your development in skills such as time management, study strategies and goal-setting, and assist you in self-advocacy.

As a first-generation college student, I had to learn how to navigate college; this came with many trials and tribulations. During my first attempt at a four-year university, I was academically dismissed due to my poor grades. After taking years off from school, I returned as a single parent and worked full-time. What I learned from my previous experience was to utilize resources, keep an open line of communication, time management, and to focus on my motivation to be in school. Thus, I received three degrees in five years with a 3.97 GPA in my master’s program.

My family and I moved to Oklahoma in summer 2019 and currently live in Broken Arrow (GO TIGERS). I enjoy watching reality TV, spending time outdoors, and cheering on my teenage son, Cruz, who plays football. My favorite TV channel is Bravo and I consider myself a Bravoholic.

I grew up in the very small town of Derma, Mississippi. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Clothing, Textiles and Merchandising and my Master’s of Agribusiness Management from  Mississippi State University. I then earned a Ph.D. in Human Environmental Sciences: Apparel Merchandising from Oklahoma State University. Prior to working as a student success coach at TU, I worked as both a professional academic advisor and a tenured associate professor of business at two Tulsa-area 4-year universities. I believe that all students attend college with different experiences and expectations and deserve to have a professional “in their corner” to help each student grow and develop.

As a sophomore at Mississippi State, I applied for a scholarship that required a recommendation from a faculty member outside of my major. I remember asking my Business Communication professor because I sat on the front row of a large auditorium class and earned a solid A in her course. Going to her office to ask for the recommendation I felt very confident that she would write a glowing recommendation because I always attended class and was such a good student. I remember her kindly saying to me, “I’m sorry, I recognize you from the front row and know that you made a A in my class; but I don’t know you. I don’t know enough about you to write a scholarship recommendation.” My pride was hurt temporarily; but I quickly understood her message. From that semester forward I made a point to get to know each of my professors and allow them to know me as a student. Because I took a different approach I found the most wonderful mentor who encouraged and helped me apply for both of my graduate programs.

I am a proud Okie! I have lived in the Tulsa area my entire life, except when I attended colleges outside of the area. My higher education journey was a long and winding road. It began as a first generation college student taking my very first college class in the summer after I graduated from a small high school. The journey continued over the next 16 years earning my AS in Business from Tulsa Community College and then earning my BSBA in Marketing from Northeastern State University – Tulsa. Over the next six years, I worked full-time in higher education and completed my MBA from NSU – Muskogee.

One experience that I had to overcome as a freshman student was my being a first generation student. I was unable to ask any of my family about how to navigate college or even what a credit hour was. I self-advised all the way through until I attended NSU-Tulsa. I found an advisor that helped me tremendously in planning my remaining courses to graduate. We found that I needed two additional semesters of coursework from a four-year university to meet degree requirements. My self-advising and attending multiple community colleges put me behind. I was thankful for her patience! We later become colleagues when I became a staff member at NSU-Tulsa.

I am able to rely on my own experiences to help students navigate their own higher education journey. I want that journey to be a happy and fulfilling experience without it being a windy road like mine was. I enjoy visiting with students to help them take care of what they may need, but to also get to know them. Establishing a good working relationship with a student will allow us both to work toward their ultimate career and life goals. Every interaction deserves mutual respect and kindness.

I have a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism/Communications from Langston University, MHR – Master of Human Relations – Counseling from the University of Oklahoma and am currently working on my Master of Education in Social Studies.

I discovered later in life that I have a strong desire to help others. I worked as an academic advisor which allowed me to help students but moving into the role of a student success coach has enabled me to work beyond the academic issues and help students in a broader capacity. I have had some unique experiences in my life, and I have come to see those experiences not as hardships but as training so that I can help students overcome various obstacles.

My family dealt with some very serious emotional and financial issues while I was attending college. I was not sure how to ask for help or that I even needed help, I felt like I had to deal with all my issues independently because I believed was being an adult. I was sitting in the financial aid office preparing to submit an appeal for financial aid because it was my second time on academic probation, when the administrative assistant, pulled me to the side and asked if she could talk to me briefly. It was within this conversation that she offered me some advice and gave me information about resources on campus that could help me, however, the most important message she provided to me was that it was ok to need help. By accessing the available resources and support, I was able to learn how to positively cope with the challenges I faced, and it resulted in the successful completion of my degree.

I graduated from the University of Iowa with a publishing-focused bachelor’s in English and creative writing and went on to serve as everything from a representative of a specialty paper manufacturer to a mobile phlebotomist. Though both my college and professional careers have never held a straight path, everything I have done has always come down to one element: helping others.

I have always held a deep respect and passion for higher education. As a student, I attended four universities and had three different majors before finally determining where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. My professors and advisors served a major role in encouraging me to follow my passion and helping me find the tools to success, and I am forever grateful for their help and mentorship. I am incredibly excited to serve as a student success coach to pass on the lessons I’ve learned and help students both succeed in the classroom and thrive in their pre- and post-graduate lives and careers.

In my free time, I enjoy editing, reading, and going to the movies with my wife. When I’m not taking quizzes to determine I am 100% a waterbending Ravenclaw, I can be found spoiling our three cats, Milton, Margaret, and Elmer.

I attended Connors State College as a first-generation student after graduating high school. I then took a break from my higher education path to fulfill the roles of wife, mom, full time Judicial Assistant, and Drug/Alcohol Intake Assessor for the Department of Corrections. I decided 20 years later to dive back in and return to Northeastern State University to finish my BA in Communication Studies. I have been with The University of Tulsa since 2019 and love all things TU, especially the students!

My “why” for becoming a Student Success Coach is my own realization that there is no “one perfect plan” and my love for helping each student that I encounter see their full potential. I believe every student deserves to have a person in their corner to help them maneuver the difficult roads and celebrate the victories during their higher education journey. I have a passion for helping, encouraging, and building supportive relationships with each of my students.

I spend most of my free time with my amazing hubby, 2 awesome daughters, and our cuddly cat named Ozzee. I am a huge sports fan and will totally geek out over anything Harry Potter!

I graduated from Baylor University with a B.A. in Journalism and New Media with a minor in Philosophy in 2017. I graduated from the University of Oklahoma with an M.Ed in Adult and Higher Education in 2020. Before coming to TU, I worked in New Student Orientation, Transfer Student Programming, and Community Outreach.

I’ve always been drawn to roles where I can help people. The transition to college is such a unique and exciting time in a student’s life, and I love being able to walk with them on this journey and offer support wherever I can. There were several faculty and staff members I worked with during my academic career that I know I would not have graduated without their help. I treasure the opportunity to support students in some of the same ways.

During the first year at Baylor, I did a poor job getting involved and making meaningful connections on campus. I came to college with a group of friends from high school, and I spent too much time trying to fit in with the new group that my friends had formed instead of finding my own path. I applied to be an orientation leader on a whim and got the position. Being an orientation leader helped me build the kind of relationships I had been missing. I found out that my place on campus was helping other students go through the transition to college and helping them to avoid the mistakes that I made. I spent my last three years of college working with new student programs, which led me to a career in higher education.

Hello! I first attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College as a first-generation student on a talent scholarship, and received my Associate in Science degree for Business Administration. After graduating from NEO, I still didn’t know what I wanted to pursue for my career, so I worked in the aerospace, banking, and gaming industries for 3 years before I went back to school. I then received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism & Broadcasting from Oklahoma State University where I attended night school as a working adult. As soon as I finished my bachelor’s degree, I started working in higher education. Prior to TU, I spent a decade working at another institution and am confident that I have found my lifetime career field.

I’m excited to be a Student Success Coach because every student deserves someone in their corner to guide them, cheer them on, and celebrate their accomplishments. Students have unique backgrounds and experiences and I look forward to helping students be confident in their abilities and make the most of their time at TU.

I married my amazing husband, Justin, in 2015 and we have two energetic kids; Zomara and Rafael. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, gardening and spending time outside with my family.

I grew up in Watonga, Oklahoma and attended college at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. While at SWOSU, I completed my B.S. in Park and Recreation Management in 2018 and my M.Ed. in Education in 2020.

During my time as a student, I worked for SWOSU as a Student Assistant and later became a Graduate Assistant. Working as a GA opened a path for me in advising students that I had never considered. I discovered my passion of working with students through my encounters as a Student Assistant. My passion grew while continuing my graduate degree in 2020 by watching the struggles that my college friends were going through. I knew that Higher Education was where I wanted to end up helping students, like my friends and family, do the best they could to succeed.

College itself is a transition that most people aren’t prepared for. I know that I wasn’t. I believe that every student deserves the best support throughout this time period of growth and self-discovery. My goal as a Student Success Coach is to help you succeed in becoming the best version of you.