Hello Leaders!  My name is Christine Ito, or “Chito” as my friends call me.  Ever since 4th grade, I have dreamed of attending the UW, being an elementary school teacher, and being the first girl to play in the NBA.  Though the latter of these goals have been deemed unlikely due to my small stature, I can proudly say that I am in love with this school and en route to becoming a caring, cardigan-sporting, Miss Frizzle-like teacher.

I was born in L.A., but raised on the Eastside in Redmond (about 25 minutes away from campus).  I grew up with three brothers; they taught me how to wrestle, talk smack, drive stick-shift, and be the tough cookie that I am today.

In my spare time, I enjoy scrapbooking, baking, quoting 30 Rock and New Girl, and mimicking new finds off Pinterest.  I have a knack for memorizing movie scripts (I can act out any scene in Parent Trap, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Back to the Future on the spot) and irritating people with my obsessed Lakers persona.  Lastly, I am a youtubing FIEND; you have all been warned.

I am currently a Junior majoring in Early Childhood and Family Studies with minors in Education and Diversity.  When not in UW’s classrooms, I love being involved in other classrooms; I am a FIG Leader, Dream Project Mentor, and have worked as an Education Intern at the MOHAI where I spent my hours leading field trip lessons in the museum.  I am also involved with UW’s Pipeline Project, recently participating in Alternative Spring Break and working with 3rd and 5th graders in Neah Bay Elementary for this upcoming year.  Other involvement includes being a UW Tour Guide, ASCE (College of Education) Undergraduate Rep, OMA&D mentor, Anderson & Olsen Memorial Scholar, and being an advocate for the Special Olympics as an Inclusion Specialist with the City of Redmond.

This will be my first year in UW Leaders and I am so thrilled to be a part of this program; I am looking forward to learning about various styles of leadership through all of the participants in the program.  In doing so, I hope to strengthen my own leadership skills and help others gain a better sense of who they are as leaders.  Furthermore, I am excited to see leadership projects unfold this year, as we have so much to accomplish as a team.  I can’t wait to meet everyone!