I earned my bachelor’s degree in English and Linguistics from Dartmouth College and received my post-baccalaureate secondary teacher certification through the University of Houston. I've taught traditional, gifted, and learning-disabled middle and high school students in both rural and urban settings, including the Fourth Ward of Houston and North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. My most interesting student is my adult son, Mark, who is on the autism spectrum, and my most inspirational teacher is my daughter, Ali, a Harvard-trained lawyer and disability rights advocate.
A mom, teacher, and writer, I am the proud author of a new memoir, All He Wants for Christmas Is an Easter Basket, and a children's book, More Than Words.
I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania four short minutes before my sister, Dyan, and grew up on the West Coast of Florida, where I met my husband, John, in high school. Initially, he found me bookish but took notice after I asked him to light my Bunsen burner in chemistry class.
John and I live in Texas with our dog, Lucy. I'm an avid genealogy researcher and love learning about family history and the family connections that shape our lives.