Virginia

I live in northern Virginia with my husband, our lovely two year-old daughter, and our dog and cat. I earned my Ph.D. in applied developmental psychology from the University of Miami in 1998 with a specialty in early intervention with children at risk for developmental disabilities. Currently, I am an assistant professor in the psychology department at the University of Mary Washington where I teach courses in child development, statistics, and research methods. I became a PCI Certified Parent Coach® in October of 2005. I maintain a private parent coaching practice, where I use the PCI model to support parents in addressing the challenges they face in a manner consistent with their values and beliefs.

I have over 14 years of experience working with children, teachers and parents. Most of my professional career was spent working in the public school system first as a K-2 classroom teacher, then as a Title I Reading Specialist and finally as a Professional Development Literacy Coach for teachers. I decided to take a break from teaching in 2003, to stay at home with my new baby boy. I soon found that my passion for teaching literacy, became a passion for raising a child who would love reading, writing and learning. With a background in both Early Childhood and Literacy Education, I decided to embark on a new career supporting parents with educational concerns as both a Reading Specialist and Parent Coach. I most enjoy helping parents with preschool and elementary age children discover ways to nurture a love of reading, writing and learning.