I was born and raised in Des Moines and am a proud East Sider. I lived near the fairgrounds until I was around ten years old, my junior high and high school years in Pleasant Hill, and graduated from East High School in 2002. #GoScarlets I grew up playing softball and soccer in East Des Moines, danced at Charlene’s Dance Studio, and grew up in neighborhoods where community thrived. I now live on the southeast side of Des Moines, near Fire Station #10, with my husband Romell and our cat Puff.

I’m the daughter of public servants and working people and the granddaughter of union workers and elementary school volunteers. My father retired from both the Des Moines Fire Department and the United States Marine Corps Reserves. My mother retired from the insurance industry where during her tenure also served as the president of the Insurance Association of Greater Des Moines. Being a working mom didn’t stop her from being the president of the PTA at Hiatt Middle School or from having a leadership role in the East High Band Boosters. Both of my parents are graduates of the Des Moines Public Schools system, graduating from Tech and Lincoln High School, respectively. Being raised with such a strong foundation taught me early what it means to show up, take responsibility seriously, and to care about the systems that support students, families, and neighborhoods.

I have left Des Moines and returned twice - once to attend William Jewell College in the Kansas City, MO metropolitan area and another time to work in the Tokyo, Japan metropolitan area. Those experiences helped me see how different people and places approach problem solving  and how important it is to listen, learn, and stay open to better ways of doing things.

This combination of deep local roots and broader perspective shapes how I lead.