A little about me...

My husband, Doug, and I have been residents of Vancouver since right after we were married in 2009. My husband teaches 4th grade Math and Science at Endeavour Elementary, while I spend my week going between two schools. I work at Columbia Valley Elementary, as well as lead our Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) assessment team based out of Crestline Elementary. We have two adorable fur-babies, Kona and Java, and my husband has a son, Nathan, who just turned 15 and lives in Montana during the school year. I also run a successful small business in health and wellness, leading a team of over 100 people.

With some of my favorite students in our crazy socks to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day (March 21)!

My background in public education...

I grew up in Granville, Ohio, a small college town, and am the product of the K-12 public schools. After receiving my Bachelor's in Psychology in 2002, I moved to Hawaii where I lived for 6 years. During my time in Hawaii, I began my career in public education through working as a paraeducator in a day-treatment program and then as a one-on-one aide in an elementary school. I started my graduate program in 2004 for School Psychology, and soon after I began working for the Hawaii Department of Education in their School Based Behavioral Health department. Upon graduating with my Master's in 2007, I was hired as a School Psychologist and worked there for a year prior to relocating to the Pacific Northwest in 2008, when I began working for Evergreen Public Schools. During my time in Evergreen, I have worked with the preK to grade 12 population. I work with students, families, educators, and building and district level administrators to provide both academic and emotional/behavioral supports and services for students.

"My expertise and daily experience in the public schools makes me uniquely qualified for the VPS School Board."

What I will bring to the School Board...

  • Appreciation of the day-to-day realities of the classroom and school building
  • Knowledge and understanding of the systems and organization of a school district
  • Expertise in special education processes, procedures, and law
  • Excellent communication and thoughtful decision-making and problem-solving skills
  • Strong leadership and collaboration with teachers, administrators, and district-level staff
  • Partnerships and collaboration with community services and resources for students and families

What I will do on the School Board...

  • Advocate for students and their comprehensive needs, including academic, social/emotional, and physical needs. Students need to feel safe and have their basic needs met in order to learn to their full potential.
  • Value transparency and communication with the community; seek community input and accessibility of the board to the public.
  • Prioritize our budget appropriately to ensure classrooms are safe and supportive places of learning and academic growth.
  • Support prevention strategies and initiatives, including early learning/intervention and social/emotional learning, to support students for positive education outcomes.
  • Ensure that our schools are equitable and are meeting the comprehensive needs of ALL of our students; the "achievement gap" is the symptom, the "opportunity gap" is the problem