Kari works to instill the belief in her students that they are each a masterpiece of God with unique gifts and talents. Currently teaching middle-school literature and 8th-grade homeroom at St. John’s Lutheran School in Napa, California, she has taught in the public and private sector from 2nd grade through high school. She received her undergraduate degree in social work from California State University in Sacramento, her teaching credential through Chapman University and her master’s in education from Concordia University, Nebraska.

A recent TEC21 workshop participant, Kari loves the TEC21 focus on community and collaboration. “With a district that is so geographically spread out,” she says, “the ability to collaborate with teachers from other Lutheran schools is a major TEC21 perk.”