I grew up in Kearny, Arizona where I graduated from Ray High School.  I then went on to receive an Associate of Science degree from Central Az College, a Bachelor's of Arts degree from the University of Arizona, and a Master's of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix.   

In 2003 I started my career in Tucson, Arizona in the Sunnyside School District as a reading interventionist and a first grade teacher.  I also taught first grade for the Leman Academy during their opening year.  Currently, I am an elementary reading interventionist for Coronado.   

During the summer of 2018 and 2019 I taught English speaking and language skills to first grade students in Nanjing, China (2018) and Suzhou, China (2019).

Besides teaching, I enjoy traveling, reading, painting, hiking, being in nature, going to museums and theme parks, participating in archaeology and paleontology dig sites, and spending time with my family and my poodle mix rescue, Freeway.