As an educator and working​ mother, I understand how difficult the past few years have been for Oregon families, individuals and community well-being. ​​I know firsthand the importance of a strong public education, affordable housing, accessible healthcare, and ​environmental stewardship. I am focused on ensuring opportunities both now and into the future​ and I am invested in the livability of our region for generations to come.

Growing up in Tigard, Oregon, I was inspired by my parents and my teachers, who modeled compassion and encouraged me to stand up for what is right. I feel deeply connected to the people, places, and stories that make House District 26 so special. I have seen our district grow and change over my lifetime. The farm where I picked blueberries as a child in the 1980s just became a neighborhood last year, the field where I picked dahlias for bouquets in 2004 is at the edge of the Urban Growth Boundary, and the hayride and pumpkin patch where my kids and I frequented in the 2010s is no longer operating and will soon be slated for development. I know this region deserves thoughtful and responsive leadership to protect its natural beauty and offer smart planning as it changes. 

I attended Tigard schools, graduated from the University of Oregon with a French degree and Pacific University with a Masters in Teaching. After student teaching in Yamhill-Carlton and Tigard-Tualatin School Districts, I taught French and Spanish at Tualatin High School, Reading and Special Education in Milton-Freewater​, and ultimately returned to my alma mater Tigard High School to teach world languages once again. My own children attend Wilsonville schools and I am grateful for their teachers and our communities who invest in public education through local bonds and levies. 

I love being an educator, but I am humbled and honored to be able to support staff and students in public education in a different way now that I am a legislator. In my seat in the House of Representatives, I want to ensure that our public schools have stable funding from cradle to career and adequate state resources to tackle our most pressing classroom challenges. In my first term, I helped pass the Student Success Act, bringing critically needed investments into our schools to lower class size, increase behavioral health supports and strategically target learning disparities. I will continue work hard to fund the education that our students and teachers deserve.

I will work toward safer communities, logical transportation solutions and necessary environmental protections. I am committed to economic development that values childcare investments and our precious working lands. I am dedicated to advocating for housing solutions, whether for seniors on fixed incomes or tenants facing unimaginable rent increases, and anyone who is trying to stay housed and safe. Chairing our House Education Committee, and being a member of our Gambling Regulations Committee and House Early Childhood and Human Services​ Committee provides specific opportunities to advocate for a more fair system and bring my constituents' voices to Salem.

I am honored to serve House District 26 and I will keep fighting for a healthy, safe future for all Oregonians to thrive.​