Willis began her career as a leading soprano at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in Germany. She has performed with famous conductors all over the world including Giuseppe Sinopoli, Jiri Kout, Richard Buckley, Carlo Rizzi, Christopher Keene and Fred Scott. In the U.S. Willis has created a buzz with her critically acclaimed portrayals of the title roles in Salome (Atlantic Opera) and Tosca (Opera Fort Worth). Willis has been a private voice instructor at the Paper Mill Playhouse and its Summer Conservatory for the last 19 years. She has a BA from UCLA and a MM from Northwestern.