My background is in Elementary Education with an undergraduate degree from Iowa State University. My Master of Arts degree is in Curriculum and Instruction, and I have an Education Doctorate (EdD) in Educational Leadership. My passion and area of study, since achieving my doctorate in 2002, has been to lead and teach literacy programs. I am Reading Recovery trained and also have completed two separate year-long courses in the Science of Reading. As a Reading Specialist, I have extensive experience teaching students in literacy lessons tailored to their learning needs. I believe learning to read should be fun and engaging. With 32 years of teaching experience, my in-depth experience and knowledge of phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension instruction will make the difference for your reading and writing needs. I love to build on strengths and use highly engaging texts, activities, and manipulatives to keep students on track for their learning goals! The first step is to get to know you as a learner and make a plan for learning growth. We will assess and check-in regularly as we go.

My biggest interests are my two active teens and my black lab. I also love to walk, play tennis, read, write, garden, cook, bake, entertain friends, and watch my favorite collegiate team's sporting events.