Priorities

  • Advancing student success is one of the core responsibilities of the school board. Every student should have access to opportunities and resources to help them reach their full potential.

    I believe our district should continue to expand trauma-informed and restorative practice, and mental health and basic needs support across our district. This is especially important as kids and families continue to struggle with the impacts of Operation Metro Surge, and the trauma our community endured. Kids can’t learn if they don’t feel physically or psychologically safe, and if other basic needs aren’t met. As a Board member, I spoke out about the need for safety plans and the reality of what was happening here. I will continue to work on policy and resources that keep kids safe and advance restorative measures for social-emotional and academic development.

    Success means something different to every student and family: academic growth and proficiency are important, and our Board continues to monitor academic progress and ensure we have the right interventions in place. Additionally, achievement goes beyond test scores to include access to the arts, youth leadership, and athletics. It also means ensuring special education services meet individual student needs.

    Working in higher education, I believe strongly in connecting students early with a variety of post-secondary opportunities including skilled trades, two-year degree programs, and four-year university options. I also support efforts to promote early college opportunities at the high school, including concurrent enrollment.

  • Sufficient funding at the federal, state, and local levels is essential for public schools to thrive. In Columbia Heights, we are facing a permanent cut of nearly $4 million starting in 2027-2028 due to changes in the state funding formula that unfairly and inequitably hurt our district. I am proud of our school community for standing up to oppose this funding cut, but CHPS still faces major financial challenges ahead. I am well-positioned to work through these challenges. As a Board member, I’ve advocated at the State Capitol each legislative session and served as a Minnesota School Board Association (MSBA) Legislative Liaison and as the liaision to the Association of Metropolitan School Districts and a delegate to the MSBA Delegate’s Assembly. I have seen as a parent and spouse of a Heights educator the impact of cuts across our district and how local support of our schools makes a difference. I believe that the school board should continue to leverage opportunities to advocate alongside other districts and member organizations for mutual funding and policy needs. I will also keep working alongside CHPS families to share what makes our district great and fight for what our students need.

  • School board policies represent the values of ISD #13, and commit to acting on those values. As a member of the Board’s Subcommittee on Policy, I have worked to ensure that policy development, review, and revision processes lead with an equity-based lens.

    Equitable policy should be understandable, use inclusive language, and identify and eliminate barriers to racial, social, gender, and economic justice.

    This means considering:

    • What are the goals of policy?

    • Who was policy designed for? Who has been included? Who has been excluded?

    • Does the practical application of policy align with the district’s goals?

    As an attorney by training and with professional experience in policy development, I have brought a unique lens to the policy work of the Board. I listen to our school communities to learn how existing policies impact teaching and learning. As a Board member, I will continue to listen and develop policy based on our district’s values.

  • To advance the school district’s mission of “all belong, all succeed,” diverse perspectives from across our schools are needed in discussion. I know that I don’t have all the answers, and I also know that my experiences in the district are not universal. Some of the best ideas and strongest advocacy come from community voices!

    As a Board Member, I honor the experiences of the district community by seeking out and raising questions, concerns, and ideas of those who may not be otherwise represented at the Board table. I believe that to be an effective representative on the board, it is vital that I am visible and accessible at school and community functions, and that I volunteer in our schools to stay apprised of important issues and emerging ideas. Before I vote at Board meetings, I try my best to understand all aspects of an issue and to learn about its impacts on different communities within the district.

  • Strong communication with all CHPS constituents – students, parents and families, staff, and community members – is essential to effective governance. As a Board Member, I try my best to listen, share challenges openly, and celebrate district achievements.

    The school board is often faced with difficult decisions, and the community should have ample opportunity to understand how decisions are made and to share their own perspectives and experiences with the Board.

    I support transparent decision-making, expanding opportunities to engage with governance, and making Board information readily available.