I received my Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, in History and French, with a minor in Classics from Washington University in St. Louis and I earned my MA in Education Policy from George Washington University in Washington, DC. I studied in France for 2 semesters my junior year in college, which gave me a greater appreciation for language and communication. After graduating from college, I taught middle school history and high school French for 2 years in St. Louis, MO. Later in my career, I taught high school art and art history in Los Angeles, CA, for one year.

In addition, I have been a professional Senior Writer and Editor for 13 years, mostly in the public sector. In this role, I have coached and mentored colleagues at all levels, from interns to leadership, on how to write clearly, concisely, and logically. I've also trained people on how to write complex information in plain language, and how to convey information in an unbiased and objective way using inclusive language. I was an adjunct professor at a federal agency, where I taught technical experts how to write deductively and straightforwardly so that their target audience could understand the information without oversimplifying it.

In my spare time, I love watching my daughter play Lacrosse and playing with my Shih Tzu. I also love listening to Audible and doing small home improvement projects.