Having grown up in upstate New York yet spending most of my adult life in Oregon, I am truly equal parts uptight achiever and gentle nurturer. Though I spent my adolescence and early adulthood chasing the dream of becoming a college English professor, I realized once I was well into achieving that goal that a life of solitary research just wasn’t for me.

After moving to Portland in 2007, I had a number of successful careers outside of education: case manager, restaurant manager, event coordinator…even real estate agent! But throughout these detours, I always knew I would return to teaching. I have been a full-time high school English teacher since 2018 and truly believe I have found my calling. Though this work is incredibly rewarding, I also value the personalized relationships I am able to build when I work with students individually.

When I’m not teaching and tutoring, you can find me running in the woods, cooking up a storm, and spending time with my partner and two cats. My life is rich and full and I could not be more grateful for what continues to unfold. Thanks for listening!

-Hilary Hay