I grew up in West Virginia, in Pottery Country across the street from the largest teapot in the world and about a mile from the pottery that makes Fiesta, the colorful dinnerware. I used to dust Fiesta in my grandparent’s pottery store. Today, I have a collection of Fiesta and other kitschy stuff.

As a child, I loved reading and drawing. I wanted to be an artist or a scientist or a writer. Looking back, I recognize that my interests had a common element, all these activities had interesting gadgets...the microscopes and telescopes, tools and art supplies.

I was a middle school English teacher when a gadget called Macintosh lured me out of a classroom and into the Library Media Center. A library media specialist helps students connect ideas and information and give them the means to communicate their understanding. Technology helps do both.

My philosophy about technology and learning was shaped by my early work with Apple Computer, Inc. I was lucky to be an "Apple Core Trainer" in the early days of Apple Education. I learned the ropes of educational technology at the "Mother Ship" (AKA: Apple, Inc. Corporate) in Cupertino, CA. Dr. Martha Rolley, of Apple Education, taught me one of my core educational values, “It's not about the technology, it's about learning.” As a certified Palm™ Education Training Coordinator (PETC), I helped teachers and students learn how to use handheld computers to support their work.

My final ten years in teaching were spent as the Coordinator of Learning Resources at Saxe Middle School in the New Canaan Public Schools. In this amazing job, I collaborated with classroom teachers to design challenging lessons and units which use technology to support learning. As manager of the library media center and the school's network, I learned that both Macs and PCs had a role to play in learning.

And along the way, I taught educational technology to student teachers at Fairfield University and presented countless workshops and teacher training. From software to technology integration, my experiences have left me with a wide range of expertise.

PAST AWARDS AND HONORS

During my teaching career, I received a Celebration of Excellence award from the State of Connecticut and an Network Publications award from ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.) I was honored to be designated a Master Teacher by PBS - WNET/13 and received a Golden Apple award for my work with instructional video in the classroom. I was nominated for Teacher of the Year in Westport, CT when I taught there for two years. I was proud to receive the Rheta A. Clark Award from the Connecticut Educational Media Association (CEMA) for outstanding contributions to the library media field.

I was honored to have been a consultant to the Peace Corps and their philosophy of inquiry-based learning. As a member of the Connecticut Association of Independent School's Technology Council, I was a presenter at the CAIS Technology Institute for many summers. I have been on the staff at Camp Apple, a summer technology camp for teachers, sponsored by Apple Education. After Camp Apple ended, I worked with friends from all over the country as we staffed edVentures in Technology, a summer experience for teachers and administrators. These professional development opportunities have allowed me to work with some of the country's best educators.

CURRENTLY

In June of 2003, I retired from public education. My 30 years of teaching both students and teachers, left me with some pretty amazing skills. I can create websites and do desktop publishing, presentations and databases...but even more importantly, my work with teachers and kids gave me a deeper understanding of how people learn and communicate. Rainbowtech Designs is all about communicating... with design and through it.

I am a self-employed graphic and website designer and live in St Petersburg, Florida. I have worked part time at the Apple Store in Tampa as a One-to-One trainer. When summer comes, my partner and I return to our beautiful Sylvia Lake in Northern New York, where I've created and manage an online community.

As it turned out, because of the gadgets in my life, I am able to stay connected and be creative, and make art that communicates... no matter where I am.