I was born and raised in the greater Vancouver area of British Columbia, Canada.  My mom owned a music store there and I grew up in that music store.  The music store is where I met my Southern born husband, Richard, over a set of guitar strings he wanted to purchase.  

We got married on August 16, 1986 and moved to his hometown: Moncks Corner, South Carolina.  After eight years there, we had a two year stint in Bellingham, Washington, and then moved back to Moncks Corner for another eleven years.  In 2007, we decided to move back to the West Coast, so that we could be closer to my family in Canada.  We chose the Scappoose community to move to and have been here ever since.  

I have been a music teacher in one capacity or another for 40 years.  I started teaching private music lessons in my mom's music store when I was 16 and have been teaching ever since.  I've taught music lessons in my home here in Scappoose for the last 14 years, and have also taught music in the local homeschool community.  I was a home educator and taught my three children at home for 17 years.  My kids are all grown and graduated now.  My oldest, Daniel, is 25, my daughter, Anna, is 22, and Benjamin, the youngest, is 19.  My boys still live at home, but my daughter got married this past spring and continues to live in Scappoose with her husband, Jesse.  My husband Richard and I have been married for 35 years.  We also have a dog named Samwise Gamgee (Sam), a bird named Frodo, and a spotted leopard gecko named Draycos.

I started my education in Canada at my local community college (Douglas College) and earned my Associate of Music (1986).  Then I married Richard and moved to South Carolina.  I received my Bachelor of Arts majoring in music (flute performance) at the College of Charleston (1989).  Over the last couple of years as my children have graduated and moved into a new chapter of their lives, I have also started a new chapter in mine.  I decided to go back to school and get my teaching degree.  I attended Concordia University's evening masters program and worked at Grant Watts Elementary School during the daytime as an instructional assistant. I graduated with my Master of Arts in Teaching during covid in the spring of 2020 and am now in the process of adding a music endorsement to my license.  It will be completed in December.

I feel such a joy and connection to this school, and I am so excited to be here as the music teacher.  I am looking forward to meeting and reconnecting with the new and returning students of Warren Elementary School.