I started my career in public education by teaching for 8 years in Maryland elementary and middle schools. I also taught at the college level in Africa with the Peace Corps. Next, I worked as a resource ESL teacher at an American-International school in Bolivia where I also learned Spanish. In 2008, I relocated back to the USA, starting my career as a Texas-certified bilingual school counselor in a high-need public school system. I was an elementary school counselor and a middle school counselor.