Dr. McHugh earned her Bachelor of Arts in History, with minors in Environmental Studies and Communications, from James Madison University, followed by a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and both a Master of Arts and PhD in History from Johns Hopkins University. She is also the author of This Grand Experiment: When Women Entered the Federal Workforce in Civil War-Era Washington D.C., published by the University of North Carolina Press, which explores the experiences of early female federal employees and their fight for equal pay.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‍‌‌​​‍​‌‍​‌‌​​‌‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌‍‍​‌‌‌‌‌​​‍‌​‌​‍​‌‌‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

As a Subject Expert History Teacher, Dr. McHugh is passionate about inspiring a genuine love of history and helping students understand the past as an evolving story that continues to shape the world around them. She teaches history as a verb, encouraging students to actively acquire knowledge rather than simply absorb it. Through careful reading of evidence, critical analysis, research, and thoughtful discussion, she helps students develop the skills to construct and defend well-reasoned arguments.

Dr. McHugh was drawn to BASIS Independent Bothell because of its commitment to a genuine liberal arts education and its emphasis on curiosity and advocacy. She believes students learn best when they feel safe, seen, and genuinely valued, and that students are capable of rising to high expectations when they are provided with the support they need. Her goal is to create a classroom where academic challenges feel rewarding and where students have opportunities to follow their own questions and interests. She looks forward to finding unexpected ways into historical material that make the past feel immediate, relevant, and alive.

Outside of the classroom, Dr. McHugh enjoys hiking, reading, and taking long walks with her dog, Kezzy. She loves cheering on her sons as they compete in lacrosse, wrestling, and soccer. The beach is her favorite place to be. A fun fact about Dr. McHugh is that she has lived on both coasts of the United States, in the Midwest, and in Australia.