HOUSTON, TEXAS

My Hometown

Barbecue…NASA…The Medical Center…Tex Mex…Rodeos…The Gulf of Mexico…Museums…the Zoo…and of course…the Astrodome!

That’s just the tip of the iceberg (wait…there are definitely no icebergs in Houston, Texas!) when it comes to the variety that Houston, Texas has to offer.  And speaking of variety…did you know that as of 2021, RocketMortgage listed Houston as the #1 most socially diverse city in the United States! Well, I grew up amidst that invigorating variety, and it has infused and informed my soul from Day 1…

I was born (ahem, years ago) at the “Fort Sam” Army base in San Antonio, Texas (Remember the Alamo?  If not, that’s it to the right).  My parents were from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but in the 1960’s, my father – an aspiring doctor – took advantage of a government program that paid for the medical residencies of applicants who would later serve in the Vietnam War.  My father was stationed at Fort Sam, and that’s how I became a Texan!  After serving his time overseas (that’s my Pop to the left…thanks for your service Dad!), my dad and family moved to Houston, Texas, which already had a burgeoning, world renown medical center.

We joined a small but wonderful synagogue in Bellaire (a self-contained city-enclave of Houston).  I was a public education student from Elementary School through High School…go Bellaire Cardinals! After graduating high school, I was off to college at the Ivy League’s University of Pennsylvania…Go Quakers!

My family, friends, community and the great city of Houston, Texas have all shaped the values I hold dear, and which pervade every aspect of my teaching style: kindness, acceptance, tolerance, motivation, inspiration and positivity!

I love this country from sea to shining sea, and all the diversity contained therein…but I’ll always consider the unparalleled city of Houston, Texas to be my first home.