Dee has been a part of the CMLC community as a volunteer since its beginning. She has always been fascinated by different cultures and connecting with people. Both her parents came to the United States as children. Growing up in Virginia, she loves the storytelling culture and the language cadences of the South.

She read about the Oregon Trail in the fourth grade and many years later, chose Oregon as her home. Given a chance, she would travel anywhere (especially on a train) and vicariously traveled the world through her many ESOL students.