I have been fascinated with writing, communication and the art of persuasion for as long as I can remember. I grew up participating in competitive Speech and Debate competitions, and in high school I was ranked 5th in the state and 14th in the nation for persuasive speaking in Speech and Debate. I have a BA in Communication with a triple minor in English, History and writing from the University of California, Davis. I have over five years of experience teaching English and persuasive writing at the middle school and high school levels, and have also coached competitive middle school and high school Speech and Debate for nearly 10 years, where I have helped many students qualify for, compete at, and rank highly at the state and national level for persuasive writing and presentation.