She received her Bachelor of Music from East Tennessee State University, her Master of Science in Music Education from Radford University and her Kod á ly Certification from James Madison University. She is a member of OAKE, MENC, ACDA, and currently serves on the Teacher Education Committee and as the Secondary Education Adviser for the Organization of American Kod á ly Educators National Board of Directors. Previously, she taught 10 years in Washington County, Virginia at the elementary, middle, and high school levels and has been a guest clinician for Washington and Wise All-County Choruses.