Lydia is an experienced educator who believes that high-quality, engaging instruction can both prepare and inspire students to act upon the world around them.

Lydia’s background includes classroom teaching and curriculum design in the Bronx, New York and the Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago. She has also served as an instructional coach for higher ed faculty serving a body of historically underrepresented college students. Most recently, Lydia worked on the development of large-scale social studies state assessments.

Lydia attended Fordham University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in history and communication & media studies, and a master’s degree in teaching adolescence social studies. She holds an ESL endorsement at University of Illinois-Chicago, and is currently working on a doctorate in curriculum, advocacy, and policy at National Louis University.

Lydia is a native New Yorker and first-gen Armenian-American who lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, their two kids, and their dog.