Elaine began her teaching career in 1974 as a 7th-grade social studies teacher in Austin, Texas. She has since taught 3rd, 5th, and 9th grades as a classroom teacher and transitioned to working as a school librarian, where she could focus on students who were struggling to read. During her time as a librarian, she received her Reading Recovery certification, allowing her to pull struggling students out of their classrooms for one-on-one tutoring. Her love of literacy has touched all the students she has worked with and she continues to share her passion with her students at Excelsior Transitional Academy.