Deborah R. Otteson was born in Oakridge, Tenn. But mainly grew up in Northern California. She is the eldest of nine living children. She graduated from Ricks and BYU (Provo) with a degree in Secondary Music Education. After serving a mission in the Oregon Portland Mission, she started teaching music in her hometown of Shelley, Idaho and spent her summers in Hartford, Conn. earning a degree in the Kodály Method at the KMTI. During her time in Idaho, she was also involved in many musicals, operas and singing groups. After she moved back to this area with her children in 2001 she completed the InterMuse Kodaly certification program at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. She is excited to be at American Heritage School teaching children in K-3 grades.