I was born and raised in northern Germany, by the North Sea, where I grew up sailing the East Frisian Islands. Throughout my upbringing, I was very fortunate that my parents traveled Europe with me through which I developed a very strong passion for languages and cultures. 

My studies abroad eventually settled me in upstate New York, where I earned my Masters in Elementary Education at Sunbridge College. I began my teaching career almost eighteen years ago as a class teacher, K-8 and a German teacher K-12, in private and public education. My husband Paul, my daughter Sydney and our big fluffy rescue dog Nash moved to Charlotte NC in the summer of 2019.