VOTE411 Voter Guide

I have consistently attended OSD board meetings the past year and have a strong grasp of current topics. Additionally, I bring a highly relevant professional experience to the Board of Directors.

My current job focuses on strengthening Washington's healthcare workforce. I work on policy that crosses the spectrum of our educational system from early childhood through university. As the mental health needs of kids have increased over the past 10 years, I've been part of statewide conversations and policy making to address this growing need.

I have served as the executive director for health professional licensing boards and remain deeply committed to service with transparency and accountability.

My training in public health grounds me in the family and community challenges that affect students' success. Children cannot learn when they are hungry, unsafe at home, or in pain. While schools cannot be all things to our students, I believe we must engage with students' and family needs.

1. OSD needs to focus on partnering with our educators to make sustained progress to return student Math and English/Language Arts assessment outcomes and student attendance to pre-pandemic levels.

2. The board must find a path forward to put the district on sustainable financial footing in a way that aligns with the goals and desires of the community.

3. The district must maintain our support for all students in a time of uncertain and fluid federal funding and directives.

In addition to these topics, I'm deeply passionate about doing more as a school district to partner with our area employers to create meaningful career pathways for all students. Some will pursue college; others will head directly into the workforce or pursue a trade. All deserve a strong foundation and preparation for living wage jobs in our community.

OSD has in place a strategic plan with six outcomes we want all our students to meet, Outcome 2 says that our students should "have the academic and life skills to pursue their individual career, civic and educational goals." Student skills in English/language arts and math are identified as key areas of focus. The district already has identified the core need for these skills in our students. What is needed is for educators, students, and parents to have the time and space to work together to determine how we can make focused progress. This likely means that we need to put in place new and different supports for students.

My role will be to work together with other board members to make this work a priority, identify funding, if needed, to support work groups, and make any necessary changes at the policy or budget level to help our educators implement. Following that work the board must measure progress towards an initial goal of returning to pre-pandemic (2018-2019) outcomes.

OSD has a responsibility to ensure students are safe from physical harm as well as discrimination, harassment and bullying. It is the role of the board to set district policy for how the superintendent and schools ensure students are safe. As a board, we need to ensure that our policies respect the rights of all students and keep students in the least restrictive setting possible that allows for both their and other students' safety.

This is a delicate task as the educational system is subject to many different laws, both federal and state, as well as a unionized workforce operating under a collective bargaining agreement. The district must make sure it's adhering to all relevant laws and observing the rights of all involved.

All the district policies created by the board must adhere to the law, while also involving good faith conversation and feedback from students, teachers and parents who must live within these policies. Individuals are most likely to comply with a policy when they've been able to give feedback that was transparently considered by the board and either adopted into the final policy, or explanation given why it couldn't be included.

I believe as a board member that my role is to make sure this open conversation happens, and students, teachers and parents are all able to participate.

As a parent of two kids in elementary school, I am actively involved in the day to day happenings of school life. I volunteer regularly at the school, chaperone field trips and work in the school garden. I have been paying attention to the school system, to the kids and the staff and so when school closures started to be discussed, I tuned in. I watched a community rally around their kids, putting their time and voices out there for the future of our schools and I was inspired. As an interior designer, my talent is creative problem solving in the most difficult of situations. Finding innovative solutions by thinking outside the box and that’s what this board needs now.

Building consensus with the school board and community is the number one issue. We are wasting time stuck in disagreement on a direction that the community has made clear they don’t want. Closing schools is not the solution to the budget crisis, although that is the next pressing issue. With the uncertainty of the future, inflation and federal funding, we will need to trim the budget but I would start with non-student facing solutions first. The third most pressing issue is kids feeling safe at school and that starts with mental health and behavioral help throughout schools.

I believe the budget is the most pressing issue and the thing that will need to be dealt with most urgently. I would start by examining the efficiency of the system. With our goals defined, we can refine our vision and shed the excess that has gotten us here and focus again on the standard of education we are providing our students. That’s where our focus should be, how are we best impacting, engaging and empowering the students.

In the world we live in right now, no one can ensure the safety of anyone, anywhere but the more we connect our community, bond as a neighborhood, the safer we are. Small schools can mean people know each other, problems are addressed and community is made. School can be a place of stability, where people get the help they need - whether that’s in reading or a free lunch, where people feel accepted and supported and where those feelings thrive, that’s safety.

I am a great listener and I am great at finding a through line in a variety of information. That’s one of my skills as an interior designer and what I would bring to the board. The ability to hear many voices and find a common direction. I am committed to bringing people together, listening to different perspectives and solving problems creatively so we can make decisions that benefit us all. Let’s move forward together, with confidence and purpose, for the future of our schools.

As a former student and teacher in the Olympia School District, and current business owner in the community, my experience has prepared me to serve by giving me a deep understanding of our community’s needs, the ability to listen to many perspectives, and the skills to build consensus. I have extensive experience developing budgets, leading teams, and setting priorities that balance limited resources with real needs. I’m committed to transparent decision-making and fostering trust, which I see as essential to effective, accountable leadership on the school board.

Building trust starts with clear, honest communication about tough budget choices. We face a structural deficit from declining enrollment and underfunded mandates like special education. Fiscal health means using local levy dollars wisely, reducing administrative costs, and advocating for fair state funding. Above all, we need an education-first focus: every budget decision should ask, "How does this help students learn?" That means protecting teachers, support staff, and programs that directly impact classroom success. By prioritizing transparency, responsible budgeting, and student outcomes, we can restore trust and ensure every decision truly supports learning.

A community shouldn’t have to sue their school district to stop a school closure. To rebuild trust, I’d prioritize transparency and genuine community input. With the recent lawsuit and ongoing closure talks, families deserve clear, honest communication about budget challenges and how decisions are made. I’d support open forums, detailed financial reporting, and clear criteria for any difficult choices. Trust grows when leaders listen carefully, explain decisions candidly, and keep student needs front and center. By making every step public and involving families early, we can tackle tough issues together and focus on providing the best education for every student.

I’d prioritize safety by listening to families, staff, and students. The 2023 School Safety and Security Survey showed strong support from teachers and parents for School Resource Officers (SROs). I’d advocate to keep SROs in schools with clear roles focused on safety, prevention, and relationship-building—not discipline. I’d also support staff training in de-escalation and maintain open communication with families about safety plans. By responding directly to our community’s priorities and being transparent about expectations, we can ensure every student feels safe, respected, and ready to learn.

I’d focus on open, honest communication and shared decision-making. Balancing the needs of students, teachers, and parents means truly listening to each group and respecting their perspectives. Currently, the board is composed entirely of candidates endorsed by the same political party—even though these are nonpartisan elections—which has led to a stronger ideological focus rather than an education-first approach. This dynamic has contributed to eroding trust within parts of our community. I’d work to bring fresh, independent voices and prioritize transparency, so all community values are represented. By supporting regular surveys, public forums, and clear explanations of how decisions impact classrooms, we can rebuild trust and make balanced, student-centered choices that reflect our whole community.