I came to Saddleback in 2001 after teaching in the child development departments of both Fullerton College and the University of La Verne.

On a regular basis I teach Child Growth and Development, Health, Safety and Nutrition, Math and Science for Young Children, Language and Literacy for Young Children and Introduction to Curriculum and Practice.

Along with my responsibilities on campus I am active in state and national associations that advocate for best policy and practices for young children. I sit on the state advisory board for the Child Development Training Consortium and provide technical assistance to Southern California child development departments as they work to make curriculum changes necessary for the California Community College Curriculum Alignment Project. I am a peer-reviewer for the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s Associate Degree Accreditation Program and have been fortunate to learn from early childhood collegues across the nation.

I earned my Bachelor's degree in LIberal Studies with an early childhood emphasis, a minor in child psychology and my Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential at San Bernardino State University, my Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Curriculum and Instruction from CSU Fullerton and I am nearing completion of my PhD in Teaching and Learning from Claremont Graduate University.

In addition to raising three children, now 11, 18, and 20, I have worked as a preschool teacher, infant toddler family childcare provider, k-12 substitute teacher and have volunteered for many years in community and youth group programs serving children and families. Putting all of my experiences together to make course work come alive for students and guiding them to develop strong and effective teaching practices is the most enjoyable part of teaching for me.

When I am not teaching, I enjoy the outdoors, reading, cooking, and traveling.