I lived and worked in such places as Aix-en-Provence, Bourges, Clermont-Ferrand, and Paris. My primary reasons for being in France, however, were to master the French language and complete my bachelors in 1986, my masters in 1994, and my doctorate in 2001. I have extensive knowledge of French culture and have achieved near-native fluency. My overriding goal when teaching French has always been to increase fluency, both written and spoken. Inasmuch as possible I conduct classes in French. This is a daunting prospect to many students, but my greatest assets as a teacher are patience and praise. I have taught all levels of French to students as young as 10 and as old as 70. I am also certified to prepare students to take the College Board's AP French Language and Culture exam. My AP students have consistently earned 4s and 5s on this rigorous test. My favorite thing about teaching French is to meet a student with no knowledge of French and watch her/him go on to study in France, become fluent in the language and then take a degree in it. I love to inspire.

If it is not a blizzard or torrential downpour, I run 5K everyday - religiously. I also like biking and swimming, but my real passion is reading novels in French. I am a huge fan of current French fiction literature by writers such as Bussi, Musso, Pennac, Houellebecq, and others. I am constantly analyzing the world we live in and my goal is to someday figure it all out.