“Regard man as mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom.” ~Baha’u’llah
As a passionate educator, speaker, author, coach and consultant, my life-long goal is to transform our schools and the systems that support them into environments that embrace the love of learning while empowering students, staff and families to know their inherent value.
Grateful to be living my passion and purpose, doing work I love with people I love , my husband, Dave, and I founded the non-profit Virtues Matter and enjoy working with our adult children, Dani and Jake, to help uplift humanity. As an ASCD Faculty Member, Coach for Restorative DC , Virtues Project Master Facilitator, Certified Jack Canfield Success Principles Trainer, and a Restorative Practices/Restorative Justice Instructor for the IIRP, I have the honor and privilege of creating and delivering personal, professional and organizational development around the world, inspiring INDIVIDUALS to live more authentic, joyful lives, FAMILIES to raise children of compassion and integrity, EDUCATORS to create safe, caring and high performing learning communities & LEADERS to inspire appreciation and excellence in the workplace.
In 2004, I earned my National Board Certification in Early Childhood. I was honored as Disney’s 2005 Outstanding Elementary Teacher of the Year, Educator of the Year for the National Association for Self Esteem in 2009 and Maryland’s Mother of the Year in 2015.
In addition to 16 years as a classroom teacher, five years as an instructional technology specialist and three years as an instructional coach, I was the Director of Curriculum Development for PowerUP, where I worked to bridge the Digital Divide, an expert consultant with the USDE’s Web-based Education Commission where I helped write The Power of The Internet for Learning, and co-creator of the Early Childhood Technology Literacy Project, which was nominated by Steve Jobs of Apple Computer and won the Computerworld Smithsonian Award in Education and Academia in 2000.
As an early childhood technology consultant, I had the joy of providing professional development opportunities for educators and working with digital content developers including Scholastic, Lightspan, AOL and Edmark, and hardware companies, such as Apple and Hatch, guiding them to create developmentally appropriate quality products for young children.
Service is something I love and have been afforded many meaningful opportunities to serve. I am founding board chairperson for the Virtues Project International Association, past president of The Maryland Center for Character Education, past president of the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s Technology Special Interest Forum, a member of the National Education Technology Standards Writing Team for Teachers, a Google Certified Teacher, an expert commentator for Ashoka’s Changemakers’ Competition – Activating Empathy: Transforming Schools to Teach What Matters and an Apple Distinguished Educator.
In addition to working on Virtues Matter, my husband, Dave, is committed to creating a more sustainable world through his work with The Livability Project, and both of my adult children are living their passion creating a more just and equitable world as educators in Washington, DC.
Please let me know how I can best be of service. I look forward to connecting!
Wishing you much joy, meaning and purpose always and in all ways.
With much caring and enthusiasm,
Dara