I am a graduate of Western Carolina University where I double majored in Sociology and Elementary Education (K-6) with a certification in teaching Reading (K-12). I also received a Master's degree in Reading Education from Appalachian State University and am certified in the Orton-Gillingham philosophy in teaching dyslexia students. I have worked in public schools for the past 25 years as an elementary school teacher, Reading Specialist, and an Academic Facilitator. I have also taught Reading skills, test prep, and vocabulary in the Adult Literacy Department at my local community college. I have tutored a broad range of subjects and ages of students. I am most passionate about Reading - all the parts of it (phonemic awareness to comprehension) and helping change students' lives. Watching struggling students learn to become better readers has been very rewarding for me. I have changed lives and opened doors to students that thought they were not able to go any further. I am a firm proponent of education, believing it to be absolutely necessary for an improved quality of life, and I try to impart this appreciation to all of my students. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family (I have two teenagers, reading, running, and watching basketball.