Tell us some fun facts about yourself.
I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon and have since moved around to California, Arizona, and Colorado with my husband and now 2-year-old daughter. We are expecting a baby boy in November.
I worked as a professional live-in and live out nanny across the country for many years, including celebrity families (which opens up a whole different world). I love baking, cooking, staying active, softball, dance, and spending time with my family. I'm a huge animal lover and would love to live on a farm one day.
(Liz and her family.)
Tell us what you do in your job as Area Director.
As an Area Director, I work as a local coordinator and point person for both families and professional au pairs. I create and maintain positive and healthy relationships and environments for my local group. I help to encourage and inspire the professional au pairs to really explore and soak up everything Colorado and the US have to offer during their time here.
What is unique about your city?
Colorado really exposes you to two distinct seasons- winter and summer. You get the best of both worlds and can really get out and explore and enjoy each of them in different ways. We are very into the outdoors- kayaking, skiing, hiking, camping, biking. We get 300 days of sunshine per year. We are in close proximity to the Rocky Mountains, which has tons of attractions and draws a lot of attention on the weekends, leaving the city quite quiet compared to other big metropolitan areas. Denver is an art loving city- its full of all different museums, exhibits, music and other displays of art. There are tons of local small restaurants and breweries creating a very friendly vibe. We have all 4 major sports teams. We have great options for public transportation, making it very easy to get around the city without a car.
What fun events do you do with your professional au pairs?
I really like to try and switch things up every month and find different local events to satisfy the different personalities of my professional au pairs. Most recently we participated in the Denver Color Run, a 5k run (we did a lot of walking) benefiting the Just Care More Foundation. Next month we are planning to explore the Arapahoe County Fair and have some fun!
(Liz, right, at the Color Run with professional au pair Bernadette and her au pair friend Natalie.)
What types of courses can professional au pairs take in your area?
Denver is a large metropolitan city full of different educational opportunities. From large universities to small trade schools, you can really find just about anything that interests you!
Why do you love being an Area Director?
I love being an Area Director because I get to meet professional au pairs from other countries and learn from them while building a relationship. I also love to see the impact they have on families and vice versa. My position as an Area Director is a great conversation starter and network builder. It's fun to meet new people and share about the experience of hosting a professional au pair and how it can really change lives. I think you can learn so much about yourself and the world by really engaging with people from other countries, it's very rewarding.