I am a Boone native and an '01 Appstate alumna with a love for these mountains in particular and natural places everywhere. I am the Global and Civic Engagement Specialist for the Walker College of Business, a role I've held since 2010. In this role, I promote international opportunities, work with the Inclusive Excellence committee on diversity initiatives and serve as a sustainability champion for the college. In addition to my other duties, I have led or co-led study abroad programs to Costa Rica, Malawi, Mexico, Turkey, Brazil, France and Cuba. I was an adjunct instructor of Spanish at Appalachian State University before joining the College of Business and taught Spanish and Latin American Studies at the University of Kansas. I have worked in Honduras and Spain and studied in Uruguay, Brazil and Mexico. My experiences abroad have profoundly shaped my understanding of the world and I love seeing students broaden their perspectives through interactions with new ideas, new places and people different from themselves. I earned a Master's degree in Latin America Studies from the University of Kansas. I am mother to two daughters, married to a husband who teaches entrepreneurship here at Appstate and the caretaker of a cat, a dog, and 18 chickens.