Education

Bachelor's degree from Washington and Lee University (Lexington, VA). 

Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA).

10 years of experience in healthcare administration, culminating in a management position. I left that career to pursue my passion: helping kids learn and grow. I currently work as a preschool teacher and nursery director. 

Penn State Better Kid Care Program, Penn State Extension, The Pennsylvania State University. Better Kid Care: Virginia Preservice Training for Child Care Staff. 2 Nov 2025, https://od.bkc.psu.edu/.  

Kimberly Edmonds, Virginia Cooperative Extension; and Marie Reese, Henrico County Public Library. Childcare Provider Workshop: Nutrition in Early Childhood (in person). 16 Oct 2025. 

Jeffery Olrick, PhD, and Amy Olrick. Conference hosted by Shineforth Child & Family Services. If You Could See Through My Eyes: New Understandings on the Science and Healing Power of Trust (in person). 30-31 Oct 2025. 

Ellie Shumaker, LCSW. Basics of play therapy (in person). Weekly training sessions, 29 Sep 2025 to 24 November 2025. One of Richmond’s Top Rated therapists, Ellie Shumaker has over 40 years of experience as a counselor, including providing play therapy to over 500 children age ten or younger. To learn more, see her book, Baby Dolls and Ninja Swords: 6 True Tales of Play Therapy (2022).  

Virginia Commonwealth University. Tipping the Scales in their Favor: Session 01, Understanding the Issues Surrounding Children with Disabilities. 18 Sep 2025, https://web.partnership.vcu.edu/tippingthescales/session01video.html. 

Virginia Department of Education (DOE). Dyslexia Awareness Training Module. 18 Sep 2025, https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/teaching-in-virginia/teacher-licensure/dyslexia-training. 

Virginia Department of Social Services (DSS), Child Protective Services (CPS). CWSE 5692 - Recognizing & Reporting Child Abuse & Neglect. 18 Sep 2025, https://www.dss.virginia.gov/abuse/cps.cgi. 

Gary Chapman, PhD, and Ross Campbell, MD. The 5 Love Languages of Children. Northfield Publishing, 1995, revised 2016.  

John Holt. How Children Learn. With a foreword by Deborah Meier, New York: Hachette Book Group, 2017. 

Kyle Schwartz. I Wish My Teacher Knew: How One Question Can Change Everything for Our Kids. Boston, MA: Da Capo Press, 2016. 

Haley Turner. Peaceful Montessori Parenting. Beverly, MA: Quarry Books, 2025. 

Chip Wood. Yardsticks: Child and Adolescent Development, Ages 4-14. Montague, MA: Center for Responsive Schools, Inc., 2017.