Anita is the principal of Stonington and Mt. Auburn Elementary Schools in the Taylorville School District. Before moving into school administration, she taught Kindergarten, first, and second grade in the Taylorville, IL for 14 years. In addition to her Type 75 certification, she holds a master's degree in Elementary Education and has attained National Board Certification. Anita has served as a as a workshop presenter for the Christian/Montgomery Regional Office of Education and mentor and local coordinator for National Board candidates. She has received a variety of recognition and awards for her service in the field of education including the Award of Merit from Those Who Excel/Illinois Teacher of the Year in 2002, the NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence in 2007, and the Taylorville City Council Excellence in Education Recognition in 2007.