Candidate for
Board Member; Three Rivers Local School District

As the daughter of a parochial school teacher, I grew up on the west side of Cincinnati in the Oak Hills School District. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from The College of Mount St. Joseph with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts, I married and moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1992. There I worked in advertising/public relations and started a small corporation. In 1996, I sold my business and returned to the Greater Cincinnati area to start a family. With much consideration, my husband and I decided to "put down roots" in the Three Rivers School District because of its reputation as an "up and coming" school district with an impressive educational record.

My husband, Doug, and I have four children. We have been involved in the Three Rivers School District for nine years. Two of our children, ages 14 and 12, currently attend Three Rivers Middle School. Our nine year old attends C.T. Young Elementary School, and our "baby" just started Kindergarten at Miami Heights Elementary School.

Our children have taken full advantage of the many educational opportunites, sports, and activities available in the Three Rivers School District. As part of their APT experience, my oldest two have attended Destination Imagination, Space Camp, taken a field trip to Chicago, and are currently active or nominated for The National Junior Honor Society. My son's favorite place in the world is on the basketball court, but he has also played soccer, football, baseball, and now golf. Our little gymnast has tried cheerleading, basketball and soccer, but has recently fallen in love with the stage and the Three Rivers Middle School Drama Department. The youngest two girls enjoy dance and soccer, and our nine year old is looking forward to being coached by her dad, (who is no stranger to coaching community football and basketball), when she plays basketball this fall.

As a Stay-At-Home Mom, I have always tried to remain intricately involved in my children's education and activities. From serving as a Nursery Director, a Sunday School Teacher, and Vacation Bible School Music Leader at church, to volunteering as a Teacher Assistant at Miami Heights Elementary School, to coaching Three Rivers Pee-Wee Soccer, to serving as Vice-President of the Three Rivers Middle School PTA, to chaperoning an APT field trip to Chicago; my role as "Mom" seems to be ever evolving and changing. As faith is very important to me, I have lead a church congregation in worship as a Praise Band Vocalist. Because I firmly believe that charity starts at home, I have volunteered for The Junior League of Cincinnati, and recently began the Three Rivers Minute Mom Mob; where moms and honorary moms work together with BLOC Ministries to reach out to friends and neighbors struggling financially in the Three Rivers Community.

I believe that children are a gift from God and America's greatest asset. I believe in contributing and giving back to the community. I believe that as a School Board Member, I can offer practical, common sense solutions and perspective when addressing issues or creating policy. I feel that the Three Rivers School District will benefit from my determination to focus on getting a job done properly and my ability to think outside of the box. As a mom, I have a vested interest in the Three Rivers School District, and a deep seeded desire to see all of the children in the Three Rivers community grow, bloom, and blossom as they reach their full potentials.