Her doctoral work and subsequent research has focused on teacher knowledge, attitudes and perceptions, particularly with respect to teaching students with special education needs or those who are culturally and linguistically diverse. She completed her Ed.D. at the George Washington University with a focus in bilingual special education. Prior to her doctoral work, she taught English language arts and special education to students in both public and private settings. She recently coauthored Teaching Diverse Learners: Principles for Best Practice, a handbook published by Corwin Press for teachers working with culturally and linguistically diverse students or those with special education needs.