I grew up in Portland, Oregon where my first career was as a high net worth trust and estates relationship manager for a large bank. I liked my job but spent all of my time off volunteering in my kids' classrooms, coaching pee-wee sports, and working with Adopt-a-Class in low income schools. This brought me to the realization that I belonged in the classroom teaching kids. I took a leap of faith after 12 years in banking and started night school, graduating from Concordia University with my Master's degree in Teaching. I taught first grade in Oregon until moving to Cedarville in 2012. Since I've lived in Michigan, I have taught students with exceptional needs from preschool through transition age (15-26 years old) at the Rudyard Area Center and in grades 3 through 5 at JKL Bahweting School. I am thrilled to be back teaching first grade and couldn't be more pleased that I get to do so in the community that my own kids and I love!