She earned a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Learning, Development and Instruction from the CUNY Graduate Center. She earned a C.A.S. in Educational Leadership, an M.S.Ed. in Special Education, and a B.A. in Psychology and Elementary Education from Queens College, CUNY. She was an elementary teacher in Nassau County, NY where she taught pre-kindergarten, first and fifth grade in an integrated co-teaching setting. She served as an elementary school principal for 12 years in Lynbrook, NY. She currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Childhood and Special Education. Her research areas of interest include teacher knowledge, literacy, social contexts, and teacher perceptions.