My Background and Passion

For more than 3 decades, I have focused my time and talents on improving the lives of children in our county. From PTA, ESE groups, Adoption issues I have represented the needs of our struggling youth.

I was privileged to be a Big Sister with Big Brothers and Sisters for many years in my 20's.

I adopted two children from birth in my 30's and became a Foster parent to several children, ultimately adopting a third child, our second son at 10 from Kids in Distress.

Learning to advocate for their needs in the ESE and Gifted arena gave me invaluable experience to help other parents and students.

School based groups like PTA, Advisory, SAF helped me learn and share information to the greater community.

In my 40's, I began substitute teaching for BCSB and was taking so many long term jobs that Talent and Development downtown called me and offered to place me in an English teaching position and that they would pay for my classes to become a certified teacher. I jumped at the chance. I am not only a certified English Teacher but hold endorsements in Reading, ESOL and Gifted as well. I am currently finishing my ESE endorsement.

Teaching reading to high school students in 9th grade with a 3rd grade reading level really opened my eyes to our at-risk students and the importance of a solid reading foundation from birth to 3rd grade. The glaring inequities of our schools from curriculum to facilities was the impetus for me to run for school board in 2010.

Since becoming a SBM I have changed our anti-bullying policy to include cyber-bullying and created and helped pass the state's first Anti-Cyberbullying Law.

I have championed issues near and dear to my heart like Adoption, Foster Care, Tomorrow's Rainbow for grieving children, and highlighted areas of need like ESE issues and importance of following state and federal laws for our children on IEP's and 504's