As a bilingual, first-generation American born to German and Ecuadorian immigrants, I grew up and started my Catholic school education in Los Angeles, California. At age 12 my family moved to Ecuador where I remained until I was 15 years old. A return to the United States landed my family in St. Petersburg, Florida where I resided until 2008. I spent all 12 years of education in Catholic schools, with a great appreciation for the sacrifice of my parents who valued the importance of a solid Catholic education.

After graduation with an A.S. degree in Business Management, I felt a call to teaching and returned to school to earn a B.S. in Elementary Education 1-6 and M.A. in Education in Varying Exceptionalities K-12 from the University of South Florida (Go Bulls!).  In 1993, I began teaching in the Diocese of St. Petersburg until 2008.

In 2008, my husband Tim and I moved to Glenwood Springs and I joined Glenwood Springs Elementary School as a teacher of English Language Learners for four years.  God brought me back to my Catholic school roots when I moved to St. Stephen to teach first grade! We had an incredible year of spiritual growth and learning. I began teaching Kindergarten in 2013 and thought it would be my last move. God had a different plan and I am excited to say that this will be my second school year teaching 3rd grade!

In addition, this is my second year as the Assistant Principal at St. Stephen, a position which I was humbled and honored to accept. My hope is to continue the work that God laid out in front of us; to bring more children closer to the Good Shepherd and provide them with the academic excellence to become mindful, loving citizens of the world doing God's work.
 
Since our move to Colorado I have fallen in love with Glenwood Springs. Our daughter Lauren and her husband PJ live in Cape Coral, Florida.  Our daughter Olivia lives in New Port Richey, Florida. Although God and my family always come first, I make time to enjoy my hobbies of hiking, backpacking, working out, traveling, and reading; but most of all I love watching our daughters grow and beam with everything they do. Tim and I are members of St. Stephen and I enjoy the spiritual growth I receive through the ministry of music and being a Eucharist Minister, as well as, attending Mass together each weekend.