About Me

My life’s journey started on a farm near Carlton, Nebraska. I grew up in a small German town in south central Nebraska. I graduated from Doane College with a double major of Elementary Education and Psychology. Then I continued my education at the University of Northern Colorado with a Master of Art in Special Education specializing in Blind/ Multi-handicapped education. My career took many turns starting at Louisiana State University Medical Center to the Washington State School For the Blind and Portland State University where I taught at the Graduate School in Special Education.

As the years continued, I married and we moved to San Diego, California with two small children, a daughter and son. I continued my career in special education, opening two resource programs in Orange County, California and Salt Lake City, Utah. I have had a great opportunity to be Johnny Appleseed of Special Education, as I have been able to plant seeds for special education programs in several states, before landing in Omaha, Nebraska.

Over the past 18 years I have been able to open an innovative best-practices Life Skills / Transition Program under Nebraska State Certified Service Provider for young adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. As the Executive Director of these programs has fulfilled a career long dream of mine, in being able to develop step by step programming to assist young adults to develop skills toward the highest level of independence to live a Good Life. Outside of my career, I enjoy cooking, baking, gardening and reading good novels in my spare time.