Heidi Draheim-Shadbeh

Although I love living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, I’m secretly a cheese head at heart. Born and raised in Wisconsin, my parents sent me to Waldsee, a German immersion summer camp in Minnesota when I was in 6th grade. I fell in love with the language, and have been speaking it ever since! I studied Elementary Education and German at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. After graduation, I taught second grade at the German immersion school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 2003, a Fulbright Grant allowed me to live and teach for a year in Leinefelde, Germany. After that amazing year, I decided to make Portland my home and started working at GIS. I can't wait to start a new adventure this year  with my English program first graders! When I'm not at school, I enjoy spending time with my husband and two sons. We love reading and spending time outdoors together. I am so happy to be a part of the GIS community!