About Me

Hi, I’m Dan! After a long career in the software industry I recently graduated with a B.A. in history from U.C. Berkeley, with high honors and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society. As a young student, my teachers routinely assured my parents of my potential, all the while complaining of my inattention to my studies. While I loved learning, I wasn’t very motivated to succeed in school. Years later, I had the chance for a do-over, and thanks to the support of my family, and the incredible opportunity afforded through the Peralta Community College and University of California systems, I attended Berkeley City College and then U.C. Berkeley and graduated with a B.A.  in 2020. I am now building on my interests and professional experience working with youth and am pursuing a second career as an educator.

Academic Credentials

I attended Berkeley City College for two years, maintained a 4.0 GPA, and transferred to UC Berkeley. At Berkeley, I majored in history where my area of concentration was in post-1865 U.S. History. My thesis was an intellectual and political history concerning the role of idealism in Jimmy Carter’s human rights policy and the birth of Ronald Reagan’s democratization policy. After two years at Berkeley I graduated with high Honors in May of 2020 and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society. 

Teaching Credentials

I have passed both the California Educator Credentialing Examination (CBEST)  and California Educator Credentialing Examinations (CSET-Social Studies) exams. I have excellent relevant youth and coaching experience, professionally as well as a volunteer, as a youth mentor, coach, martial arts instructor, and outdoor experiences leader. My experience teaching athletics, leading outdoor youth expeditions, and mentoring youth, combined with strong academics, excellent communication and motivational abilities, allow me to offer an exceptional service for students of all ages looking to succeed and excel in their academic pursuits. 

My Approach

I bring a wealth of academic, as well as real-world experience to my teaching. I consider myself to be a careful and empathetic listener. I strive to meet people on their own terms, understand their situation and then work with them to come up with solutions that meet their needs. Not everyone learns the same way, and an important part of the work I do is to collaborate with my students to develop a well-crafted, winning strategy to meet their goals and objectives.

My Interests

I settled in North Berkeley twenty-five years ago where I live with my wife and son. I am an avid backpacker, a certified Wilderness First Responder and a backcountry search and rescue team member. I hold a black belt from Shotokan Karate of America and am an enthusiastic, though inexpert, soccer player.