During my time in the classroom, I learned something that changed the way I think about teaching: when students could pick up a marker, sketch an idea, or add color to a concept, something clicked. The content stopped being something to memorize and became something they could see, feel, and own.

That insight is the foundation of everything I do at Drawn to Learn. I use visual thinking strategies — sketchnoting, art journaling, illustrated timelines, color-coded mapping — not to make learning decorative, but to make it stick.

I'm Tommi, and I've spent my career at the intersection of education, creativity, and technology. I’ve worked with learners of all ages, including adult learners, who think in pictures, who get restless with worksheets, or who just need a different door into the material.

If that sounds like your kid — or like you — I'd love to work together.

I spent over 30 years teaching in the same school district — mostly fifth through eighth grade, across math, language arts, and social studies, but also adult ESOL learners and classroom teachers. I know what it looks like when a student is lost, and I know what it looks like when something finally clicks.

Beyond the classroom, I served as Instructional Technology Coach for my entire school, helping teachers and students integrate iPads and Chromebooks into everyday learning. I retired from full-time teaching but still work part-time with the same district — because honestly, I'm not quite done yet.

The moment that tells me everything I need to know? When former students track me down to say they still have their social studies journals — and use them to study for high school SOLs and exams years later. That's not just a notebook. That's learning that lasted.

Outside of school, I'm a traveler, a photographer, an artist, a mom, a grand-puppy sitter, and a Gigi. Art isn't a hobby for me, it's how I think. And it's shaped everything about how I live, how I teach, and how I learn.