Biography

Early Life:

I was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I moved to Denver, Colorado, St. Louis Missouri, and Coco, Flordia, before moving back to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I attended Coolidge Elementary (K-6), Taft Junior High School (7-9), and Jefferson High School (10-12) in Cedar Rapids.

Education:

I have Bachelor of Arts degree Elementary Education with minors in English/Langauge Arts and Reading from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Graduation Date: May 1992.

I have a Master of Arts degree in Special Education/Consulting from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Graduation Date: December 2002.

Teaching Career:

I started my career in Williamsburg, Iowa as a self-contained with integration teacher, grades 9-12. I taught there for three years. I then took a job at Educare Learning Center where I worked as a tutor and as a resource teacher for Isaac Newton Christian Academy. After I got married, we moved to Charter Oak, Iowa, where I worked as a self-contained with education/resource teacher for grades 7-12. In August of 2000, my husband, Joel, and our oldest son moved to Independence. We have lived here ever since. We are now a family of five and I continue to work as a resource teacher for grades 9-12 along with my husband who is a social studies teacher and instructional coach at the high school.