Monika hails from South Kansas City, Missouri. She is a first-generation graduate from Metropolitan Community College (2014) and Avila University (2017), where she studied education and history. Monika has “worn many hats” while teaching and advising – a decade in education support has provided many wonderful opportunities, including teacher, tutor, and scribe. Although her career has focused on providing educational services to underserved populations in Kansas City, activism has taken her to Jefferson City, where she advocated with state government representatives and the governor to provide consistently-funded higher education access for students from low-income communities and students with disabilities.
These steps guided her own higher education; in pursuing educational goals, Monika has focused on influential coursework topics of diversity and equity in order to bring culturally responsive, inclusive practices to the classroom. She believes creating connections within the community is the foundation of opening dialogue and providing relevant and necessary support services for Kansas City students.
When she’s not using her experience and skills to assist KC students in achieving their dreams, Monika enjoys spending time creating art, playing board games, and going to movies with her daughter, and taking her senior dog on a short walk. She is currently reading Learning From Behavior by James E. Levine.