Previously, she taught at Fairfield University, Southern Connecticut State University, University of Virginia, and the University of Split (Croatia). She has also served as an International Broadcaster and Editor of Croatian Programs at Voice of America. She received a B.A. in South Slavic Languages and World Literatures from the University of Zagreb, Croatia, an M.A. in Philology from the same University, a second M.A. in Linguistics from the University of Virginia and Ph.D. in Linguistics from Georgetown University.