Tell us about your family!

My husband and I married 6 years ago on Memorial Day weekend and I became step-mother to twin girls (now 14). We also have a four year old daughter (Niamh - pronounced Neeve) who many of you will recognize from Run Club. Our life is a little chaotic (aren't they all) with the twins home half the time, and my weekly work travel during the academic year. My husband had a stroke when we'd been married for five months (don't let anyone massage your carotid artery) so our life is a little more hectic and more full of medical visits than we imagined. But we try to get outside as often as we can, and my husband is great at encouraging me to get back into playing music.

Current/previous career?

I'm a professor of education - with a focus on early childhood and educational technology in STEM fields. My main interest is in social interaction in classrooms - and I look for ways to use technology to promote rather than hinder social interactions. I've been at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign for 11 years!

What does motherhood mean to you?

Motherhood is both the most fulfilling and most challenging thing I have ever done. I both miss the person I used to be before kids, and love my family and the life we're building together.

Favorite local spot?

I'm a huge fan of Let's Play Work for some quiet time while Niamh is amused, and I love Evans Field for trail runs, walks, or just a little break in nature.

How did you find Fit4Mom?

I honestly don't remember :)

What's the best part of Fit4Mom?

One of the first Run Clubs I was part of had its initial meeting on a Sunday evening, when a tornado warning forced everyone to the basement right around bedtime. I felt the usual panic of having to juggle zoom calls with small kids - and then Alison emailed and cancelled - saying something like "we know everyone's bedtime routines were probably disrupted tonight, so let's just postpone". The huge relief of not having to pretend that I could make everything work made me feel like this was a community I could belong to.

Favorite class/exercise?

I've been a fan of Run Club since it started - I love getting to know other moms and having a structure to get out to run. Slowly, I'm also getting into Body Ignite and finding the strength training to be really useful.

Proudest moment?

My most recent proudest moment was running the Good Life Race with our twins - their first 5K. As usual, they made different times - and one was about 15 minutes ahead of me and the other one finishing but it was a great experience for us all and a powerful reminder of how my participation in Run Club has impacted my family.

What is something that would surprise us?

In my free time, I try to write a blog - the initial plan was to focus on technology and children, but I've found myself writing more about parenting than I expected: www.tech-mommy.com

FIT4MOM Oak Park River Forest offers fitness classes for women in all stages of motherhood, including prenatal, stroller & moms only classes. Your first class is free! Click here to try a class.