"I was born in Illinois and raised in Colorado, and have lived in Utah for seven years. Shortly after moving here, I started working at Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind as a Communication Intervener for deaf-blind students. That was my favorite job I've ever had! When I work with kids, I learn more than I could ever teach. Each child and teenager has a unique perspective, and as I teach them about the world, they help me see it differently.

After 2 years with USDB, I became a sign language interpreter. Every language shows us something about the people who speak it, so I've also taught myself Swahili, some French, and bits of several other languages. And I read history books for fun. Since learning is a lifelong endeavor, I believe in making it enjoyable!

I am certified in the state of Utah as an Interpreter/Transliterator for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and have worked as a video relay interpreter for over three years. My knowledge of the language didn't come from a classroom, but from years of association with the most qualified teachers: Deaf individuals and their families. For that reason, I can teach ASL from a pure, native-like perspective, as well as a professional one.

I got hooked on books at a very young age--but not the books you might expect. By the time I turned 13, I had finished Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey," and reading translations of foreign works such as "Les Miserables" inspired me to start learning French. Since I loved literature so much, I started writing my own, and self-published a novel at 15. I'm currently preparing a second novel for publication.

True stories can be even more fascinating than fictional ones, so even after graduating high school I've kept up my studies in world history. In particular, I have expansive knowledge of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman history and culture, as well as World War I and WWII eras.

After I had one year with a piano teacher from age 7 to age 8, my family could not longer afford the lessons, but I continued learning on my own. Fo" less...