Ms. Brinker has 12 years experience working with children and families in Washington State, South Carolina and New Mexico in public, private, charter and parochial schools. Ms. Brinker is a Level II Certified Teacher and is qualified to teach in all three pathways possible in the state: Special Education (all subjects, ages 3-21), Elementary Education (all subjects, PK through 8th grade), and Upper Division (6-12 Social Studies). Her Elementary qualifications include theory and practice of teaching reading as well as qualifying in "specials" such as art, music and physical education.  Ms. Brinker earned her Master of Education degree in 2015. As a practitioner, she specializes in Gifted and Twice Exceptional Education (students who are both Gifted and qualify for Special Education services).

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As a professional, some of her most notable accomplishments include working on education policy teams at the state and international levels, traveling internationally with students as a Model UN advisor, and receiving multiple competitive classroom grants. These include the GLSEN Rainbow Library Grant, Bueno Foods Classroom Library Grant, Helen Pouch Memorial Fund Classroom Grant and Confucius Institute (Mandarin in the classroom) Grant.  Ms. Brinker has served internships at the World Affairs Council and the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. She was named the 2019 Outstanding Teacher of American History by the New Mexico State Daughters of the American Revolution. 

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Ms. Brinker lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her husband, two precocious young children and rescued former animal testing beagle. ​​​