I took the long and winding road to becoming Winnona Park's media specialist.  I studied Natural Resource Management in college but towards the end of my undergraduate studies, I began using computers and discovered the newly developing field of geographic information systems - computer-based mapping.  I worked as a legislative aide in the Ohio State House for one year and then returned to Ohio State for a master’s in Natural Resource Information Systems/GIS. I moved to Georgia to work for a few years for a mapping software company.  It was around this time that schools began acquiring computer equipment and labs, and there were not many educators trained to staff them.  I decided to move to the field of education and became the first Technology Coordinator at a K-8 private school.  The school environment was a welcome change from the corporate world and where I knew I belonged.  I took some time off when my children were young but was glad to return to a classroom setting, initially teaching part-time in the computer lab at the Friends School in Decatur.  I returned to college for my master's in Library Media and was fortunate to be able to join Winnona Park’s faculty part-time while job sharing with the long-time retiring Media Specialist until I finished my degree.  I love the opportunity to help students get excited about reading but also have a special interest in family education, technology use/addiction, and mental health.

I have lived in Decatur since 1998.  My two sons, Zak(2015) and Ari(2018) are both Decatur High graduates.  After spending many years at baseball games, football games, band concerts and competitions, I am now spending more time hanging out with my dog Teddy and riding my bike.