My father owned a sign shop dealing with the fabrication of  neon and illuminated signage. So I grew up learning first hand how to run a business and the drafting/artistic side of our shop. I then moved to Tennessee and worked for Bike Athletic in the silkscreen department as an artist. After that, I moved to Atlanta and worked on theater set design and props as a freelancer until I found Atlanta Imprinted Sportswear and became their art director for the screen shop. I left Georgia and moved to Huntsville, AL, and got involved with the Advertising Store where I initially learned the advertising/marketing side of my profession. We worked for several charities and real estate companies on their brochures, reports and events. I met my husband in Alabama and we moved to Washington in 1990 where I started with CWLA.