I am from Switzerland and my childhood was divided betlween Switzerland and the United States, thus making me a bilingual speaker of both languages. I hold a BA with Honors in German from Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania and an MA and PhD in European Studies, with a focus on German Studies, from Claremont Graduate University in California. My BA included a Junior Year at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich. I have many years experience teaching German and English at all levels in the United States and in Europe. My teaching career began at a California community college, followed by a two-year, full-time German teaching position at Franklin College, Switzerland, where I was one of only two German teachers. From there I returned to teach German at colleges in Maryland and Texas. In Texas I taught German as well as humanities classes in English and became Assistant Professor of Foreign Languages and Director of the University Honors Program. From 2004-2014 I taught both English and German language and literature in private Swiss international schools (from middle school through the IB Diploma levels) and at 2 private Swiss colleges.  In 2014 I returned to the US to teach German language and senior-level German literature at the College of Charleston and from 2016 I took on some classes at Core Languages. Continuing on my life-long learning and cultural exchange between the US and Europe, from 2018-2019 I accepted an IB school teaching position in Italy, where I was the only German teacher for the entire middle school and the IB Diploma students in the upper grades. They all did very welll and got their IB Diplomas. After this exciting year in Italy I returned to my German position at the College of Charleston and to Core Languages.  In addition to my MA and PhD, I am fully certified by the State of California to teach German and French from grades 7-12.  I also have full CA certification to teach additional courses at the community college level.  And last but not least, I have full TEFL certification as an English teacher.

Having taught diverse students in so many settings and at so many levels, I am very adaptable, flexible and passionate about teaching. I have always kept up with teaching trends and participated in week-long training seminars in Geneva, Switzerland, Athens, Greece and Moscow, Russia with the International Baccalaureate Organization. If you sign up to take a class with me, I can offer you this vast background and a personalized approach to meet your needs and interests.  And our classes will be fun! I will do my best to put you at ease, boost your language ability and self-confidence and help you succeed! Your successful language learning will be my Number One project!