Ms. Nalis studied Kinesiology and Pedagogy at the Universities of Physical Education and Sports in Split and Sarajevo and brings more than two decades of experience as a Physical Education Specialist in Bellevue, Washington, where she was named “Teacher of the Year” for the 2010 – 2011 school year. Her athletic background includes competing as a two-time National Champion and playing professional basketball in Europe.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‌​‍​​​‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌​‍‍‌‍‌‌​‍‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‍‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‍‍‌‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

Ms. Nalis is passionate about helping students develop a love of movement, well-being, and teamwork. She focuses on building essential motor skills for lifelong athletic development and an active, healthy lifestyle. Her goal is to make every lesson fun and engaging while creating a supportive environment where students feel safe challenging themselves and growing physically and emotionally.

She was drawn to BASIS Independent Bothell because of its high-expectations, high-support model, collaboration between Subject Expert and Learning Expert Teachers, and international focus. Her teaching philosophy centers on empowering students to take ownership of their physical development and health while providing the guidance they need to succeed. Through a variety of sports, achievable goals, and an emphasis on the “why” behind movement, she helps students build confidence, discover activities they enjoy, and celebrate their progress. Ms. Nalis looks forward to bringing a high-energy, positive environment to the gym and collaborating with the BASIS Independent Bothell community.

Outside of school, she enjoys competitive cycling, including mountain bike and gravel racing, and was the Washington State Cyclocross Champion in 2024. She also enjoys skiing, climbing, and playing guitar. A lifelong Volkswagen fan, she has never owned any other make of car!