Campaign Phone
6309266177
My husband and I have four children. Three of our children are graduates of D200; the 4th is currently a student in the district. The driving force of why I serve on the Board is to advocate for all children--to ensure that every student has a successful academic and school experience.
I work as a pediatric physical therapist in Early Intervention. I bring experience and knowledge of child development and neurology. I advocate for children and their families. I respect the amazing educators of D200. I embrace effective communication, including truly listening to and acknowledging the validity of differing perspectives, as well as participating in respectful discussion.
1. Behavior: We need to ensure appropriate behavior in our classrooms and buildings. Setting expectations and holding students accountable is vital. We need to be sure that adequate behavioral supports are available. We need to work diligently to prevent bullying and to recognize and help students in need. Every student deserves a safe, comfortable learning environment.
2. Students who slip through the cracks: Ensuring that all students have the best opportunity for success and growth is of the utmost importance to me. I am very passionate about success for all of our students, including those with differing needs and abilities. We need to work tirelessly to recognize and meet the needs of our students so that they can thrive.
I believe strongly in healthy communication—even when it is uncomfortable. I have demonstrated the ability to ask questions, even tough and challenging ones. Curiosity and challenge are healthy.
I am always willing to listen to the perspectives of others, even (and especially) when they conflict with my own, because I think it is truly a gift that we have parents and community members who are engaged and advocating for their children.
We all want the best for our children. It is perfectly fine to have different ideas about how we might define “the best” or how we might accomplish “the best.” Working together is how we can achieve success. This emphatically includes being transparent and being willing to have tough conversations.
The driving force of why I serve on the Board and why I am running for re-election is to work toward providing every student with a successful academic and school experience.
As a board member, I will remain reluctant to ever “pat myself on the back” for two reasons. First, I am not “in the trenches” doing the hard work. That is done by our teachers, staff, students, and parents.
Second, I cannot pat myself on the back until I am confident that every single one of the district’s 11,493 students is successful and that there is not one student “slipping through the cracks.” If I can pat myself on the back, that would mean that every single student is successful and flourishing. And my work would be done.
I am a long-time Warrenville resident, mom of 4 kids in the district, attorney, and I currently serve on the Warrenville Plan Commission and the Citizens Advisory Committee to the School Board. I am running because I care about public education, I want to represent Warrenville on the board, and I want to serve my community.
I am extremely collaborative, have a background in board governance and finance, and would bring those skills and more to the position. I am a champion for public education, and I have a vested interest in maintaining the strength and the health of our district. I believe that every child has a right to be educated, and I am committed to ensuring that our kids have an excellent education.
1. Protecting our community - it is important that we insulate our local community from federal and state mandates that may not be in the best interest of our community. We need to make sure that if federal funding for title 1 schools or special ed gets pulled, for example, that we can make up that deficiency from our reserves, with no adverse effects on our students or increase in taxes.
2. Protecting public education – we need people on the school board who will fight for the rights of all children to be educated, and who realize that dismantling public education would be a disaster for the community. I am an advocate for public education, and I believe in its importance as “the great equalizer.” I will fight to protect it.
It is an honor to be elected to the board, and board members should act in accordance with the role – with integrity, respect, and collegiality. It is important to be good role models for our students, practice open communication, actively listen to the community’s concerns, and attempt to find connection points and cooperate with stakeholders with varying viewpoints.
Given my professional experience and communication skills, I would excel in this role. I have a great respect for our community and can connect well with people. I know when to advocate, and when to compromise. I can balance interests and work with all sides to find solutions that are in the best interest of our kids and that make sense for our community.
I care deeply about this community, about the kids who are growing up here, and about protecting the integrity of the district.
We live in a great area that is full of opportunities for students. We have a well-deserved reputation for having good schools, and I want to see that continue.
I believe that a well-educated population enhances the community as a whole, and I would work towards ensuring that every student in this district, no matter their background, socioeconomic status, learning style, etc. receives an excellent education that will become the cornerstone of their future life success.
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I have lived in Wheaton for 17 years, I have children in elementary and middle school. I’ve been engaged with CUSD200 since my oldest started kindergarten, serving five years on the Citizens Advisory Council, including two as Vice Chair. A strong school board needs diverse voices, yet families with younger children are underrepresented. D200 lacks an advocate for this group and voices independent of legacy incumbents and political affiliations. We must always strive for improvement. With degrees in Political Science & Sociology, I understand societal structures and governance. My experience spans legal research, corporate roles in CPG, and co-owning a real estate investment firm. I excel at applying my diverse skills to new challenges.
Proficiency rates must improve. Our scores lag behind neighboring districts and vary widely within our own schools. Blaming demographics is not only unacceptable but also a weak excuse. While we’re investing heavily in new middle school buildings, facilities alone won’t boost academic performance—Hubble, once state-of-the-art, has the lowest proficiency rates. We must prioritize what happens inside our schools and allocate discretionary spending toward impactful resources.
Safety also demands immediate action. We’re behind neighboring districts in key measures like self-locking doors and Halo Smart Sensors. Additionally, we must enforce zero tolerance for inappropriate staff-student contact.
Adhering to the Board Operating Principles fosters productive discussions and teamwork. I believe in seeing the good in others, turning obstacles into opportunities, acting with integrity, and recognizing each team member’s contributions—values I uphold as a business owner, employee, mother, and community member.
Engaging with the community is a priority. Stakeholders deserve to feel heard, not dismissed with a generic email response. I don’t shy away from difficult issues and am committed to advocating for parents, students, and community members in our district.
Voters, your participation in school board elections has a profound impact on the quality of education, as well as quality of life within our community. I pledge to prioritize academics, safety, transparency, accountability, and to help ensure that school board members align with the community's immediate needs and develop long-term plans to ensure they are protected in the future. Your vote is a powerful tool in fostering an educational environment that nurtures student success and community growth. If our schools do not succeed, our community will not either. Thank you to everyone reading this for taking the time out of your day. Together we can go far!
Campaign Phone
+1(630) 235-4997
I am running for three specific reasons. First, our community voted to fund the transformation of three of our middle schools. I want to govern that work through to completion. Second, our district is very strong, and I desire to protect and strengthen the characteristics that make our schools and community great. Third, the role of a board is to govern, not operate, an education system. I want to lead our board and strengthen our focus on governance.
The most significant issue facing our community is the achievement gaps across our monitored socioeconomic groups of students. While we continue to improve, we still see significant gaps in achievement across groups. These gaps are a focus of our Board of Education and district leaders. The solution to closing the gap is not a single strategy but the specific work occurring under our academic and operational excellence strategies defined in our Vision 2026 framework centered on “Portrait of a Graduate”. We must continue investing in our multi-tiers of support and actions to close achievement gaps across our student population.
The key to collegiality and transparency within the community is trust. We continue to work as a board, building trust with each other. We have multiple opportunities throughout the year to connect and develop our relationship. This cycle starts every two years after an election as new board members are seated. If elected, this will be my fifth cycle, and I will continue, as an experienced leader, to build connections with each board member. I know we fall short in some cases and must continue to work on creating trust across the many perspectives in our community. All I can do is commit to improving trust with our community.
I am a current board member who understands the role of a school board in governing and that a school board does not operate the school district. I also lead to ensure we have a high functioning school board, based on trust, that governs our district, maximizes learning outcomes for students, and prepares them for life after high school.
I grew up in Warrenville and attended Bower, Hubble, and Wheaton Warrenville South. I live in Wheaton with my husband and two sons. I am a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) and the Parent Teacher Associations at Jefferson and Hawthorne. I am running for school board in CUSD200 because I want an inclusive future where all students have access to a high-quality education, feel safe at school, and belong in their school communities. I have a PhD in Ecology and a background in academic research. I bring the inquisitiveness and drive to identify the root cause of a problem; data analysis and visualization skills to make sense of information; creative problem solving; and the ability to change my position based on new evidence.
1) Unmet educational access and social-emotional needs of students 2) Deterioration of school culture in our middle and high schools, including (cyber)bullying and violence. I plan to continue and expand our investment in inclusive education, differentiated instruction, and educator training on universal design for learning. Inclusive settings allow educators to provide more frequent and individualized support for all students. Students educated in inclusive settings are more accepting of individual differences and show more empathy for other people, which will improve the culture of our schools. I will work to ensure that all schools have appropriate staffing and training to meet student needs and address the root causes of behaviors.
I will promote collegiality by being respectful, doing my best to understand the perspectives of others, and appealing to our shared values. I will promote transparency with the community by ensuring that we continue to openly share information through online platforms, provide agendas and meeting materials in advance, livestream meetings, engage stakeholders in decision-making processes, clearly communicate policies, respond to community concerns with open dialogue, engage with the CAC, and adhere to the Open Meetings Act. I will additionally advocate for publicly listed e-mail addresses for each board member and soliciting feedback through surveys (e.g., on calendars posted for public comment) instead of relying on unsolicited e-mails.
As a student, I received a phenomenal education from CUSD200. As a parent, I see that we are falling short of our mission to educate and support all students. The status quo is a threat to the educational access and social-emotional well-being of many students, including my first grader. We can reimagine our approach to education to be inclusive of learning differences. We can create school communities that prioritize safety and belonging. I am prepared to thoughtfully engage with parent and community concerns, support our teachers, advocate for the needs of every student, and collaborate with our administrators while holding them accountable to our community. I would be honored to serve you on the Board of Education.
Campaign Phone
6303198821
The job of the board is governance - oversight, not administration. In addition to two years on this board, I served on the Wheaton City Council for ten years, some 450 meetings. I have served locally (Rotary program chair past nine years, Boy Scout Scoutmaster, and others). I have a long career in real estate investment analysis, acquisitions, leasing, management, and sales in a fiduciary role. I have been an active volunteer and personal supporter of activities at several of our schools. As long-time residents, my family members have attended K-12 in District 200. I would like to continue offering my governance experience and my commitment to public education.
1. We are about to begin a $150 million overhaul of 3 middle schools. The work was originally planned for 3 years, but significant savings can be achieved and disruption avoided if it can be compressed to 2 years. I will support decisions to expedite construction.
2. We must maintain our focus on governance, not administration. Is the process logical and are outcomes as expected? The Board hires a Superintendent who in turn selects the administrative team. It is a rare board member who could fill any of those roles, but we can ask questions about process and monitor the results.
In my 2 years on the Board and 10 years on the Wheaton City Council, I have maintained a cordial relationship with colleagues. In carefully keeping with the limitations of the Open Meetings Act, I regularly meet one on one with other Board members.
At Board meetings, I listen to public comments, and I participate in the Saturday morning Chats to hear concerns. Consistent with Board policy, I am available to hear from residents.
I have a long history of serving the community in various capacities. I do not come with an agenda to make major changes or impose my personal beliefs on our highly regarded public schools. Several of our schools have been rated Exemplary by the state. Certainly we can always improve, but we are in a good place. Our Portrait of a Graduate leads us to strive to meet the needs of each student, understanding that they are individuals with varying interests and abilities. I want to participate in providing the education that will prepare each student for what comes next. I would be honored to have the privilege of continuing to serve.
