Deb Barrett, Neighbor

You might say that I've taken the scenic route to get here. I graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in French Secondary Education and a minor in Spanish and History. So what was my first job after graduation? Trouble-shooting mainframe operating system software for IBM. I eventually moved to the IBM Education Center, where I wrote courses and taught technical skills. As my career progressed, I became a technical training manager at ADP, then a director of training for a start-up company in health-care technology.

About 7 years ago, as a significant birthday approached, I felt the need to make some changes in my life, and after much thought and consideration, I realized that what I wanted was a more <b><i>creative </i></b>life. Writing and editing had been an integral part of my career as well as a lifelong interest, so after many years working in technology, training, and management, I decided to pursue writing and editing as a career. 

I love learning, about anything and everything. I sew and do needlepoint. I play several musical instruments, including piano, fiddle, hammered dulcimer and mountain dulcimer, and I&#39;m relearning the little bit of guitar I learned in my younger days. I especially enjoy learning about people and uncovering their stories.