I started at MIM in1996. I truly have the greatest job ever! I have had a desire to work with children for as long as I can remember. I fell in love with the Montessori philosophy of education when first introduced in 1991 at Bellevue Montessori School, where I worked until I came to MIM in the fall of 1996. I attended Pierce College studying Early Childhood Education and taught preschool locally. I worked at Bellevue Montessori school for 4 years as the child care director, and then took my training at the Montessori Training Center of the Northwest and was an intern/assistant for two years. Before that I had experience working in a developmental preschool in the University Place School District.

I also worked at DSHS with the Division of Developmental Disabilities in their summer program working with Autistic children, and I worked at various camps and an entire summer at Crista Camp, Island Lake. I grew up in the Tacoma-University Place area and currently live in Olympia with my husband. I am blessed to have a wonderfully complex group of bonus children, 3 sons, 1 daughter, 3 daughter in laws and a son in law as well as 6 grandchildren and 4 grand puppies plus four grand cats. In my free time I enjoy gardening, cooking, camping, kayaking, traveling and spending time with family and friends.