She has taught in a public high school and middle school; at a private school for students with learning disabilities; for a community college program for high school drop-outs and another program for teacher training; with a GED preparation program on the Cheyenne River Reservation; with a tutoring center; and in private practice. She earned both her Bachelor of Arts in English and her Master of Education degrees at George Mason University. She lives in Matthews, North Carolina with her husband and sons.