I then challenged myself further and earned a Masters Degree in Bassoon Performance from Boston University. I also worked with the Children's Theater Company of New York City while in grad school developing musical theater curriculum and directing plays. After graduation, I lived in Haifa, Israel where I volunteered for 18 months with people from 80 countries around the world! I finally came home to Oklahoma after 9 years. 7 years after finishing my Masters Degree, I decided it was time to pursue a doctoral degree in Bassoon Performance at the University of Oklahoma. I finished three weeks before my daughter was born. Currently, I am the only person who has earned a doctoral degree in the Bassoon. When I began teaching in schools, my first job was teaching Elementary Music and Gifted and Talented classes. I then taught fifth grade Social Studies and moved on to high school Biology and middle school Science. I have also been a professor of music at Oklahoma City University for over ten years. I'm certified to teach Math, Science, and Music, but I also have a passion for History, World Cultures, Study Skills, and Writing. I have been teaching private bassoon and oboe lessons for 20 years and feel very blessed to be both a professional performer and educator. My goal as a teacher is to empower my students to become lifelong learners and lovers of knowledge. I love to travel, and have been to all of the lower 48 states, as well as many different countries. I love sports, jogging, horseback riding, and cooking. I find it especially enjoyable to bring my adventures back to my students and encourage them to go make their own throughout their lives!

I am willing to try any method I can come up with to help a student grasp concepts. If something doesn't work, I'll keep trying different methods as long as it takes. I love using creativity, art, music, visual aids, metaphors...anything it takes to help a student on their path.