• I was born in  Aurora, IL but have lived in Arizona most of my life. I graduated high school from Red Mountain High School in Mesa. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Ottawa University in December of 2005. After working in marketing, I realized I missed working with children and young adults, so I went back to school to obtain my teaching certification and complete my master's degree, which I accomplished in September of 2009.


    I am married and have a daughter.  I also have a dog that is like my child, and he and my daughter, Josie, get along like siblings - it's a love/hate relationship! My husband is very supportive of my passion for teaching and my dedication to my students. While I am grading and planning, he works in the garage rebuilding "old" cars. In fact, he builds hot rods for a living. His knowledge comes in handy when my car breaks, that's for sure!

    For fun, I like to read; I also enjoy going to movies and doing things with the family. When we do have a bit of extra time (and money), we like to travel to visit family elsewhere in the states.