I am a 33-year resident of Kent who cares deeply about the town and am running for First Selectman on the Democratic ticket for election Nov. 7, 2023. I want to have the honor of serving as your first selectman because Kent deserves to have a top leader who governs in a way that is efficient, productive, transparent and respectful. I believe I am that person. I have the background to serve the residents well. While I’ve never been a politician before, I know the issues very well through my work as a journalist over 25 years during the past 3 decades and I can start right out of the gate.

As a journalist I consistently and successfully dissected town issues and conveyed that information to my readers. I know the importance of being prepared with pertinent information prior to a meeting and making sure that information is available to others so thoughtful discussions can take place and issues get resolved.

My work as an academic administrator, college counseling director and faculty member at South Kent School has taught me a lot about working within an organization and collaborating with many different people. I know how to prioritize and seek solutions, as well as manage logistics in many different endeavors. I bring those skills with me to Town Hall.

As an educator, I know the importance of guiding young people and encouraging them to explore their interests. I was a longtime writing instructor and am an adjunct professor with Syracuse University for a course in Creative Nonfiction Writing. I also advised the student publications, The Pigtail and the Cardinal News Network, instructing student journalists on how to present news and information about the school community.

During my long tenure, I also served at various times as Publications Director, Director of Technology, Dean of Faculty, Librarian, as well as an advisor and a teacher of a number of different classes.

I live in North Kent with my husband, John, who is the building official for the Town of Litchfield, CT. Both of my adult daughters went through Kent Center School and graduated from Housatonic Valley Regional High School in Region 1. My oldest, Cassandra, lives with her husband, Mark, in Maryland and my daughter, Trisha, lives in North Kingstown, RI, with her partner, Derek. My parents moved to Kent in December 2020 and live in Templeton Farm Apartments.

I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from Ohio University.

Long an active volunteer in Kent, I served with the Kent Volunteer Fire Department for 21 years, being trained as a Firefighter II with hazardous materials training. I served in a variety of capacities, many times chairing committees, and was instrumental in setting up and documenting the department’s policies, as well as establishing the Standard Operating Procedures.

Currently a member of the Kent Historical Society, I served as a trustee for five years and for two of those years I was president, guiding the organization through adoption of technological advances such as implementing Google Suite and revamping the website, as well as establishing an annual fund to expand the income potential of the organization. KHS also launched a summer Art Enrichment program to offer art classes to children and I had a hands-on role hiring instructors and helping manage the details of the operation.

For the past five years I’ve been a member of the Board of Directors for the Merwinsville Hotel Restoration in Gaylordsville, CT, which is a historic building that was a meal stop on the Housatonic Railroad and is now a community center that hosts three art shows annually, as well as other events.

In previous years, I’ve volunteered as a long-time soccer coach for Kent Park and Recreation (even before I had kids), as an officer of both Kent Pony Club and Running Fox Pony Club to support my daughters’ interest in equestrian competitions, as a Girl Scout troop leader for Daisy, Brownie, Junior and Cadette Scouts and served as volunteer for Girl Scouts of Connecticut as the town’s representative in a regional group. I also served as Chair of the Religious Education Committee and at a different time as Church School Director for the First Congregational Church of Kent and was a long-time Sunday School teacher.

For the Town of Kent, I previously served as deputy fire marshal for four years in the 1990s and I was a member of the Town of Kent Firehouse Building Committee in 2006.