Immediately following graduation from the University of Florida with a Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling, she went to work for Court Alternatives in the Pretrial Program. While there, she helped to develop and implement the first Drug Court Diversionary program of its kind in the area with a team of attorneys, resource people, and a judge. Once that program was on its feet, she accompanied her husband to California for his residency program and raised three children before returning to the work force as a teacher.