I spent 25 years traveling and teaching and ultimately working side by side with renown educators and authors Sam Crowell, Renata and Geoffery Caine, and Stuart Grauer - contemporaries on the cutting edge, working to renovate our educational system. As a teacher of English, writing and literature, French, West African dance, and yoga, I have been a strong proponent of the liberal arts for my whole career.As a life-long poet, I have taught, edited, and performed poetry in a wide variety of venues throughout California. I have a book of poetry entitled Vintage, which follows the seasons of growing wine, and I have published in many literary journals and anthologies. I was also part of a team of journalists, writers, and photographers to walk the Appalachian Trail head to toe, resulting in a beautiful book nominated for a Pulitzer prize in journalism - Appalachian Adventure: From Maine to Georgia - A Spectacular Journey on the Great Appalachian Trail.Nine years ago I returned to my family farm in the Appalachians of North Georgia to become the sixth generation on Tiger Mountain, where I grow grapes and make wine. At Tiger Mountain Vineyards we have won over 250 national awards for our fine wines. I also manage and coordinate events at our Red Barn Cafe overlooking the vineyards. I plan vineyard weddings and wine pairing dinners with renown chefs, support locally grown, and host farm-to-table and farm-to-school events.As a writer, I am currently working toward the publication of a new poetry collection, Caught in the Tree Rings of Time. I am also currently working on publishing a memoir/work of creative nonfiction, entitled She Who is the Moon, that chronicles my calling to the Native American spiritual traditions and the rebirth of the women's ceremonies.