EDUCATION 

I grew up attending schools in North Kansas City, MO, before earning my B.A. in mathematics—and playing volleyball and basketball—at Simpson College in Indianola, IA. In addition to my degree, I completed all coursework for my teaching and coaching licenses at Simpson, followed by graduate coursework through Drake University.

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EXPERIENCE

My teaching career spans 14 years in West Des Moines, where I taught 7th-grade math at Indian Hills and 8th-grade math at Stilwell Junior High, while also coaching volleyball and basketball. After taking two wonderful years to stay home with my young sons, I joined the WDM HSAP team in 2007. Now in my 19th year with HSAP, I supervise families, coordinate program enrollment and state-offered testing, manage and update our website, and oversee our student Chromebook initiative.

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FAMILY

My husband and I have been happily married for 36 years and are blessed with two wonderful sons. After decades of enjoying life as a "boy mom," I was thrilled to welcome a beautiful daughter-in-law to our family!​

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INTERESTS

Family is at the center of my life, especially when we’re traveling together to pack the stands at basketball games. When I’m not courtside, you’ll usually find me outdoors—whether I'm out on the boat, staying active, or unwinding with a good book.

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WHY I LOVE TEACHING

Working with kids and teens has always been my calling. Nothing compares to guiding students through the learning process and being there to catch those priceless "ah-ha!" moments when everything finally clicks.