ABOUT ME

I moved to Worthington in 2017 and quickly fell in love with the community and its schools. My oldest, Corinne, is a third grader and my youngest, Norah, is a Kindergartener at Worthington Estates.

I grew up in a family that prioritized teaching and learning. My father was a journalism professor at The Ohio State University and my mother designed workshops for COSI. After high school, I received my BA from Denison University and then my MA from The Ohio State University in Integrated Teaching and Learning where my thesis focused on community-based schools. Much of my professional life has also been devoted to education. I have worked at McGraw-Hill as a science textbook editor, and at COSI in many roles, including as a program manager for a program focused on training teachers the foundations of inquiry-based teaching. I now work as Director of Product Release and Enablement for a software company where my responsibilities include project management, change management, budgeting, training, and technical documentation.

I am running for school board because I know how important our schools are to our students and our community. One of our most important jobs as parents, educators, and community members is to create an environment where our students feel they belong, where they feel represented, where they feel safe, and where they can flourish. I want to ensure that we as parents, educators, and a school board are intentional about how we create and curate this community. I want to make sure we think about how we prepare our students to enter the world outside of Worthington Schools (how we “empower a community of learners who will change the world,” the Worthington Schools mission statement). I believe there are four key components to intentionally building this community.

A community is where everyone feels welcome and where they feel they belong

Our District has laid the foundation for substantive DEI work to support welcoming and belonging through establishing an anti-racist resolution, a DEI initiative that was unanimously signed by the school board, and most importantly, by hiring our Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Toya Spencer. Central to this work is ensuring our students belong to a community that is reflective of who they are both in the classroom and in the curriculum, work that is critical to the success of our students, critical to the success of our teachers and staff, and critical to the success of our district. It is my commitment that all of my actions as a board member align, support, and further these efforts.

A community is a place with economic opportunity and affordable living

As a Worthington School Board member I will work closely with city council members, other elected officials, and stakeholders from all areas of our district to ensure we are aligned on plans for growth an development. Development can be an incredibly positive thing for our schools; in Ohio our schools are funded by property tax and in Worthington, this accounts for approximately 80% of our school funding. In the coming years, it will be important to find ways to supplement individual property taxes in order to ensure members of our community are not priced out of their homes. Connecting with others in the community that can advocate for school funding and understand when and where development can happen is critical in continuing to ensure the members of our school community have the economic opportunity and affordable living they deserve.  

A community is a place where everyone is cared for

Student mental health is a critical need and top priority for many of us. I want to expand that conversation to include our teachers, administrators, and staff. We are likely to face a teacher shortage in the coming years. Teachers, like many of us, are struggling with work, life, and increasing responsibilities. We know as parents that we need to make sure we are healthy in order to be present for our families and it is no different for those who care for and teach our children. It will be important to identify what we, as a board, can do to augment all the hard work the district has already done to provide benefits and access to mental health care. As a board member, I will ensure that the actions I take prioritize mental health of the students, teachers, staff and administrators so that we ensure that this is a place where everyone is cared for.

A community is a place where everyone has a seat at the table

Worthington Schools are comprised of families from all over Central Ohio. I will connect with families throughout the district to understand what their priorities are, to celebrate their successes, and learn what they are struggling with. I will make decisions as a board member that reflect the interests of those across the district so that we, as a board, give everyone a seat at the table.

Focusing on these four pillars will allow us as a district to intentionally build a community where our students feel they belong and where they can thrive. I look forward to connecting with and learning from all of you throughout my campaign so that together we can support our students, our schools, and our parents.