I was committed to civic volunteerism at a very young age, serving on student council throughout high school, attending Girls’ State, and representing youth in my city as a member of the Board of Community Corrections. My post-secondary education focused on conflict resolution and management (bachelor’s), secondary education (master’s), and public and international affairs (master’s). In my early career I taught public school, worked as the Director of a nonprofit serving unhoused children, and as a legal researcher and grant writer. After my second master’s degree, I was hired as a U.S. Political Affairs Adviser serving in the United Nations Security Council, where I gained direct experience in international negotiation, policy analysis of complex international challenges, and peacekeeping and governance best practices.
After the birth of my daughter, I taught Political Science and coached Model United Nations at Washburn University, then worked as a private educational and nonprofit consultant, while serving on numerous non-profit Boards of Directors. I bring my ability to research and understand complex issues, and my experience translating those challenges into manageable work, to the job as a City Councilor. I have overseen complex budgets, so as a City Councilor I spent considerable time asking hard questions about the budget process and the need for various capital projects. I will continue to bring a critical viewpoint to my ongoing work.
Finally, I am a parent. As a mom to a teenager, I am particularly concerned about the issues facing parents in our current workforce climate, from finding childcare to balancing the difficulties of our modern societal expectations to make sure a child receives the support they need. I bring this understanding of the unique issues families face to every decision I make as a City Councilor, and I will continue to examine policy choices through this lens.
