Cris Tovani

Cris is a native of Colorado and received her degrees from the University of San Diego and the University of Colorado. She is currently doing national consulting and teaching work and serving as a literacy coach full time at Smoky Hill High School in the Cherry Creek School District.

"Not to sound cliched. . . . but I really like teaching. I enjoy all ages of kids, but I must say that I find working with teenagers the most gratifying. They say the funniest things and they are so unpredictable. I also love their honesty and their low tolerance for nonsense.

"I think my draw to teaching and professional development is this challenge, to figure out what kids need and then how to help them 'get better' at whatever it is they are trying to learn.

"So often teachers are relegated to the back row when it comes to making instructional decisions. It is such an exciting time to be a teacher because of the challenges we face and the opportunities we have to affect the future. We are losing way too many kids. This means that professional development has to be purposeful so that students and teachers alike can meet today's demands."