I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA which means I am a huge Pittsburgh sports fan: Steelers, Pirates and Penguins.  I attended Beltzhoover Elementary for Kindergarten through 5th grade. I then attended Knoxville Junior High for 6th-8th grade before graduating from Carrick High School in 1990. 

In May of 1995, I graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Elementary Education and a certificate in Children’s Literature from the University of Pittsburgh. I graduated from Point Park University with a second Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education in December 2006. 

I moved to North Carolina in 2007, when I began teaching at Swift Creek Elementary School. 

I am married with four adult children.  I have four grandchildren, three girls and one boy, who amaze me each and everyday. My favorite hobby is reading.  I love to play the violin and enjoy listening to a wide variety of music.