Graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso (1983); spent 15 years as a sportswriter, 11 at USA Today; stay-at-home mom since 1999; co-director of Reston Runners Youth in Motion (2006-2009); assistant coach and board member with Reston Youth Cheerleading (2009, 2010); Liturgy Coordinator and Eucharistic Minister trainer at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Reston, VA.; taught religious education classes for second-graders at St. John Neumann for six years.