About Me
I was taught the value of hard work at a young age. As the youngest of four children raised in a middle class family in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, not only did I help out around the house, I also contributed to our family business, The House of Decorating. By age twelve, I started my own paper route, and at sixteen I was bussing tables at Old Country Buffet. I paid my rent through college with my wages as a server.
I first moved to Minnesota to attend the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, where I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in education. I came to love everything about this state: from the bustling cultural and arts venues and delicious restaurants, to the vast array of parks and public lands. I had found my home.
Thankfully, my high school sweetheart and future husband, Dan, felt the same. We bought our first (and current!) home in Coon Rapids over twenty five years ago and couldn’t imagine a better place to be.
Dan is a pharmacy program manager who greatly appreciates the value Minnesotans place on healthcare. Our youngest daughter, Hailey, graduated from Blaine High School where she benefited from the high quality of education in Minnesota including a wide range of experiences from debate and speech to soccer and music. Now Hailey is studying to be an occupational therapist at UW- Madison.
Our oldest daughter, Hannah, also graduated from Blaine High School and enjoyed four years of hockey, and she was able to utilize their Advanced Placement classes and PSEO programs to graduate from college in three years. Hannah recently graduated from the University of Minnesota- go Gophers!- with a degree in public health and is now a housing case manager full-time.
We love it here and we feel both connected with and dedicated to our larger community.
Notable Years
- 2024 – present Representative for District 35B
- 2020 – present Field Staff, Education Minnesota
- 2020 – 2024 Coon Rapids City Council
- 2017-2020 DFL Senate District 37 (Leadership roles: Fundraising Chair, Communications Chair)
- 2012 – 2020 Middle School Biology Teacher
- 2001 Earned Master of Education degree
- 1998 Earned Bachelor of Science in Biology
Why I am running
The presidential election of 2016 changed my life. As a woman and science teacher dedicated to education, helping others, and environmentalism, I was demoralized by the direction of the new President.
In such a divisive political arena, I wanted to bring compassion back. I wanted to center us back on a collective humanity. To me, the role of a public servant is to better the lives of all of their constituents, and to truly care about the people they serve.
I had a heart-to-heart with my husband and I will never forget what he said to me. “If you want to make a bigger difference, first you need to grow your circle of influence.” I knew it was time to take a leadership role so I ran for Coon Rapids City Council. Now, I want to keep fighting for you at the Capitol and for our next generation.
During my teaching career spanning 20 years, I’ve worked with thousands of families. My time as a Coon Rapids City Councilmember required vision, problem-solving, and working well with others who had differing viewpoints. These qualities help me as your State Representative. I am honest, truly care about people, and enjoy learning from and working with others. I believe it takes all of us at every level of government to further our democracy and that is why I am running for re-election to the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Let’s work together to build a better community for all!
Accomplishments
With the MN House of Representatives in 2025, we protected:
- Reproductive Freedom
- 100% carbon free electricity bill
- Paid Family Medical Leave
- Earned Sick and Safe Time
- School lunches for kids
- Unemployment insurance for Hourly School Workers
- General Education formula linked to inflation
We passed:
- Compensatory revenue fix that will significantly help our Anoka Hennepin School District
- Meaningful action to bolster our state’s mental health system
- Funding for food programs
- Funding for tree planting and replacement after wildfires
- Funding for the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Minnesota Zoo
I initiated the following bills that passed:
- $10 million in funding for MNDOT for a full interchange at Hwy. 610 and East River Road in Coon Rapids
- Funding for Math Corps, an evidence-based math tutoring program with a high turn on investment
- Streamlining the process for helping veterans access benefits
- Adding children with autism to the list of presumed endangered when missing
- Adding civilian forensic scientists to a PERA pension work group to determine if changes are needed
- Funding for Individual Placement and Supports (IPS) services that help people with severe mental illness get employment
- Narrowing the eligible uses of school library aid and requiring the library is served by a licensed media center specialist
- Expanding the eligible uses of School Food Service funds to include necessary kitchen equipment maintenance/repair
- Chief authored and passed the Housing Policy bill on the House floor.
