BIOGRAPHY
Mathematics, Music, and Mormons
I was raised on a cattle farm in Ferron, Utah, a beautiful Mormon community nestled between scenic mountains and breathtaking desert rock formations. After graduating from Emery High School, I spent two years in Chicago proselytizing for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, learning Spanish in the process. I no longer affiliate with any organized religion, but I cherish my cultural and religious upbringing.
I earned a B.S. and M.A. in mathematics education from Brigham Young University and taught mathematics for one year at Riverton High School. I spent the first two years of my doctoral program in mathematics education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, working as a research assistant for Dr. Amy Ellis. When Dr. Ellis and the project moved to the University of Georgia, I transferred there in 2016 and completed my Ph.D. in 2025. In my dissertation, I studied the influence of educational psychology on American mathematics curriculum reform, focusing on Edward Thorndike.
I began studying piano at 8. I began exploring musical composition during high school. To date, I've written one sonata, a suite of waltzes, a number of character pieces, and a few new age piano solos. I also play guitar and have written a few casual songs.
I began working with IXL Learning in September, 2020 as a mathematics curriculum designer and moved to Raleigh, NC. I have grown very fond of the area, positioned conveniently between the Atlantic coast and the Blue Ridge mountains.
I like spending time with my two boys, Logan and Kevin, my girlfriend, Jennifer, and her daughter, Selma. I blog (intermittently) about my perspectives on education, music, politics, religion, and the poetry of life.
(photo taken October 2021)