A lifelong resident of Champaign, Elizabeth attended Carrie Busey, Franklin and Centennial for her K-12 years. She then attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she graduated with Distinction in Molecular & Cellular Biology.
After being accepted to Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, Elizabeth deferred her education for a year and stayed in Champaign to be close to her ailing father and grandmother. During this time, she started tutoring college students in math and science classes. She realized that her calling was in education, so she started a company to help middle and high school students be successful in school. Elizabeth's passion has been to "Make Science Make Sense" and to mentor girls and women as they pursue an education in STEM fields. She has worked with thousands of students and parents in the past 8 years, helping them navigate the social and academic challenges of high school and prepare for college. She is also certified to teach English as a Foreign Language, and she has taught English abroad. Elizabeth was awarded the title of Woman of Distinction in Business in 2015. She was the lead organizer for the 2017 March for Science: Champaign-Urbana and she helps lead Women-Owned Business Circle of Champaign-Urbana. She has both organized panels and spoken on panels related to science and education. She directed and oversaw the development of a tutor-mentor program that helps students diagnosed with high functioning autism, learning disabilities, and behavioral challenges manage the demands of high school and gain acceptance to competitive 4-year colleges. Elizabeth has two children in the Unit 4 school district. Though Elizabeth had substantial professional experience with IEP's, it was only after her son was diagnosed with verbal apraxia in 2017 that she gained the perspective of a mom who's raising a child with special learning needs. In her free time, she enjoys reading books about social issues, cooking, going on adventures with her kids, and volunteering with Moms Demand Action CU and Champaign County Latino Partnership. |