Hi, my name is Dani Bridges and I am so excited to be at St. John Fisher. I grew up in Portland, Oregon with my parents, older sister, and younger brother. As a student, I attended St. Pius X from 2002-2009 and Jesuit High School from 2009-2013. I graduated from Carroll College, in Helena, MT, with a BA in Anthrozoology (the study of human-nonhuman animal relationships and interactions) in 2018 and received my Masters in Teaching from Western Governors' University in 2022.
My call to teaching came from both experience and the encouragement of loved ones. Although I began teaching in formal education in 2018, I have been called to teach for years. I grew up hearing hilarious stories from my grandma Pat, who served as a school secretary in the Beaverton School District for years. She always made it seem like there was never a dull moment when working with kids. Later, I was an intern for the Education Department at Wildlife Safari in Winston, OR, and worked at YMCA Camp Collins in various positions across my college experience. I slowly fell more in love with working with kids and the adventure they always bring. Soon, years of my family telling me I would make a great teacher became a reality and I haven't looked back since.
I attended Catholic schools my whole life and deeply love the focus on educating the whole person, and the community is a central part as well. I believe the impact of a Catholic education goes far beyond the years spent in a classroom as my family and I gained some of our strongest, familial relationships from attending St. Pius X.
When not teaching, I greatly enjoy reading, running, and hanging with my dog, Lucie. I love spending time in Sunriver at my family's home and visiting my Papa when he snowbirds in California each winter. I love to cheer on the Kansas City Chiefs, Gonzaga Bulldogs, and Washington Huskies. My goal is to someday write a book and see more of the country and world.