I have been a part of the early childhood professional community since 1968. I taught in the classroom until 1979 when I became director of First Presbyterian Preschool in Arlington, Texas, an National Association for Education of Young Children accredited preschool. I retired in June 2005.

My undergraduate degree from Kansas State University focused on elementary education and child development. After graduation, I was married and since my husband was in the military we moved often, so I could not teach. We had four children very quickly and I loved caring for and raising them. They taught me so much. I consider them my first "Master's" program. When the youngest child turned four years old, I began teaching. I taught kindergarten and loved it. The following year I taught in the preschool that our church was starting. I taught three and four year old children for the next nine years.

I realized in 1983 that I wanted and needed to pursue a counseling degree since there were many families in the school asking me for help. I wanted to be qualified to give them the counsel they requested. I entered the School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Arlington and received a Master's Degree in 1987. My degree was in direct practice. My certification in Texas is as Licensed Master of Social Work - Applied Clinical Practice (LMSW-ACP). This allowed me to help the children and parents in the school who asked for and needed help. I was also able to do counseling with children and families separate and apart from the school.

Professional memberships have included: National Association of Social Workers, Association of Play Therapy, Texas Association for Education of Young Children, and the National Association for Education of Young Children. I serve on the Arlington (Texas) Child Care Council and a charter member of Parent's Day Out Director's group in Arlington. I am a validator for the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs (NAECP).

My articles have been published in Texas Child Care Quarterly and Positive Parenting. I just completed writing a chapter on diversity for a book to be published in the near future. My poem, Children Can't Wait, was published in NAEYC Young Children publication. I am a co-author of the book: "Congregations and Child Care" published for the Ecumenical Child Care Network.

My husband, Jerry, and I have lived in Arlington Texas since 1968. We have four grown children and eight living grandchildren and one great grand daughter (born June 1, 2006). I enjoy gardening, writing poetry, music, and doing presentations for different groups on many different topics related to parenting, families, preschool, young children, and child development issues.