She has worked as an advocate for public school services for handicapped children, an educational diagnostician and tutor, and a teacher. She holds certification in English, reading, and special education. She is co-editor of The Struggle to be Strong: True Stories by Teens about Overcoming Tough Times and co-author of A Leader's Guide to the Struggle to be Strong: How to Foster Resilience in Teens (Free Spirit Publishing, 2000).