I earned my Associate of Applied Science Degree in Accounting, accompanied by a minor in Business Communications and Personnel Management, from Northeast Iowa Community College. After a year of working, I continued my education by earning both a Bachelors and a Masters Degree in English Language and Literature at the University of Northern Iowa. During my Masters studies, I was an adjunct writing instructor at UNI and at Hawkeye Community College in Cedar Falls.

While teaching for Hawkeye Community College, I had extensive experience in teaching non-traditional students. Then, while teaching full-time for William Penn University and The College for Working Adults after completing my education, I expanded my repertoire of classes with Fundamentals of Speech, Women in Literature, First Year Experience, Business Communications, Creative Writing, American Literature, Student Orientation, and Team Work. I also began teaching through televised and online venues and continued those activities as a full-time instructor for NICC until 2003. At that point, I moved to a small, Central Iowa town where I married my long-distance sweetheart and served as City Clerk for two years.

I have since returned to the profession I love – teaching. I currently teach online communication courses for NICC and for the University of Wisconsin – Platteville. Also, this fall, I will be driving to Platteville to teach two three-hour on campus classes. I typically leave on Monday morning and return on Tuesday evening.

When time allows, my husband John and I enjoy gardening (I grow the vegetables; he grows trees from seeds); we also add to our collection of perennials and enjoy sighting hummingbirds and other interesting visitors to our bird feeders. Occasionally, we take dance lessons; sing in ensembles and with our senior church choir; and visit my four and his six grandchildren. We go fishing occasionally, with mixed results. Two wireless laptop computers; one digital camera; a DVD player (something our families were sure we “needed”); and a cell phone keep us immersed in technology.