I was born and raised in Radford, Virginia where I lived until I went to college at the University of Virginia. There I studied English Literature (B.A) and I received a Masters of Teaching. Go Hoos! I began teaching after graduation in 1996 (do the math to find out my age !) in Marietta, Georgia (a suburb of Atlanta). I moved to Asheville in 2003 and since that time I have worked for Asheville City Schools (with the exception of one year when I had two babies under two)! I have taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades as a classroom teacher and been a gifted specialist for students grades K-5. In December 2019, I achieved my National Board Certification as a Middle Grades Generalist. In March 2022 I was name the North Carolina Association of Gifted and Talented Outstanding Teacher of the Year.