About me

I grew up on Whidbey Island where my dad was a special education teacher. He was born and raised in Whitehorse, Y.T. and my mom is from Cordova, AK. Together they raised my brother and I with what I call Northern Values: honesty, integrity, resilience, perseverance and grit. They taught us to help our neighbors and the value of team work. Growing up on a commercial seine boat in Prince William Sound reinforced those values. If we didn’t work together, the boat didn’t make money and somebody could get injured. I brought those same values to the classroom – when educators work together to improve student learning, our students reap the benefits. I met Brett commercial fishing, finished my bachelor’s of education at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and went on to become a K/1 teacher for theKodiak Island Borough School District in 1996. I later became involved in my union and have served as an NEA Director, representing NEA-Alaska at national meetings in D.C. and advocating on issues that affect Alaska’s students and educators.

I am a proud mom of two girls, both raised in Kodiak. I was their Girl Scout troop leader where we volunteered and gave back to many local service organizationsMy husband coached their hockey teams and is an honorary Girl Scout. We supported our kids in their activities and by virtue of being educators, encouraged all students in their extracurricular activities. When the high school needed a girls soccer coach, I stepped in to keep the program going with Brett as my assistant. For us, community service has always meant showing up and supporting those around us.

Now, I am running for the Alaska State House to bring steady, practical, and collaborative representation to District 5. I believe in listening first, working across the aisle, and delivering results that reflect the needs of Alaska’s coastal families. My life and work have given me a deep appreciation for the people who live here. This is a true working-class district and we need good local jobs, reliable ferries, healthy fisheries, strong schools, affordable housing, dependable infrastructure, and a state budget that reflects the real needs of working people. I’m ready to get to work on these important issues and I’d be honored to earn your vote.