Samaya is the math curriculum specialist for the GEAR UP O+K=C grant. She has a passion for helping people discover who they are and grow into who they were put on this earth to be. Through the lens of a curriculum specialist, Samaya works to help teachers strengthen their voice and grow their craft, honoring each person’s unique and valuable contribution to education, their students, and their community. This position allows her to assume the role of a coach, where she gets to work alongside and support teachers by helping them create an authentic, student-centered learning experience for their students, and by sharing with them proven, researched lessons and instructional strategies.

Before working at K20, Samaya was a middle school and Algebra 1 teacher for about 10 years. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Math and a Master’s in Educational Leadership. She is currently working on her Ph.D. in Mathematics Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum.