**B.S. in English and Journalism Education from Kansas State University plus additional graduate hours in Curriculum and Instruction
**Attended McRel Institute sponsored by Phi Delta Kappa Education Honorary in Colorado Springs on teaching thinking skills
**Conducted series of district workshops on thinking skills for U.S.D. 475 in Junction City, Kansas, and KNEA (Kansas National Education Association) State Conference in Kansas City, KS
**Attended a variety of Advanced Placement workshops in Illinois
**Served on various language arts curriculum groups in four different high schools in Kansas and Illinois
**Seminar participant in summer True Learning Workshop sponsored by Illinois Humanities Council
**CITE (Central Illinois Teachers of English) conference planner
**IATE (Illinois Association of Teachers of English) conference planner
**Professional memberships in NCTE, IATE, Phi Delta Kappa
**English Department Chair at CCHS
**29 years teaching experience-19 at CCHS
**Married 30 years to Jose'; two children: Jessica, a CCHS 2007 graduate and freshman at Kansas State University and Jared, a junior at CCHS