After graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in English Education, Lainie began her education career as a high school English teacher in rural Georgia. Soon, she decided to work with middle grades learners and taught Language Arts in Atlanta Public Schools. While there, she pursued her Masters in Education at Georgia State University in the heart of downtown Atlanta.  

Lainie enjoyed working with adolescent learners, but ultimately found her heart in elementary school, where she spent a large part of her teaching career and ignited an enduring passion for primary and upper grades literacy instruction. She worked as a classroom teacher and as a curriculum coach in a prominent independent school in Atlanta.

Through her studies in the doctoral program at Teachers College, Lainie examined issues related to social justice and best practices in literacy instruction.

She enjoys merging theory and practice, supporting skills and strategy-based instruction, and helping schools support differentiation.

Currently, she lives in Atlanta with her husband, three children and their furbaby.