Campaign Phone
313-657-5945
Number of years as resident
As a child, I grew up in the area. I moved back to the community 6 years ago.
I am motivated to serve on the Cromaine Library Board because the library is a cherished institution in our community. My goal is to help ensure that the library remains welcoming, financially responsible, and a valued community resource for generations to come.
As a retired financial industry professional, I understand the importance of responsible stewardship and sound financial oversight. Cromaine Library is fortunate to be well funded and generously supported by local taxpayers. Trustees have a responsibility to honor that trust by ensuring that the Library’s resources are managed carefully, transparently, and responsibly. I believe the budget should reflect both fiscal discipline and the needs of the community, so that taxpayer dollars are used effectively to provide the greatest possible value to library patrons.
Cromaine offers valuable services for children, teens, and adults, with the most important being those that meet the needs and interests of its patrons. These include well-attended programs and events, online research and learning resources, access to information on Hartland’s rich local history, meeting rooms, Wi-Fi, and the unique items available through the Library of Things. Cromaine also serves as an important community gathering place, a role that will be further strengthened with the completion of Cromaine Commons and the Heritage Gardens (made possible through a grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation).
I support both Cromaine Library and the Hartland community through active volunteer service. My involvement has included Vintage Christmas in the Village, walking in the Hartland Memorial Day Parade, the revival of the Handel’s Messiah concert, and the Cromaine Music Hall cleanup and maintenance day. I am also a lifetime member of the Friends of Cromaine.
In addition, I served as a Corporate and Departmental United Way Champion, organizing and leading fundraising campaigns that consistently met participation and financial goals. I also volunteered with The Parade Company in Detroit, Gleaners Community Food Bank, and the Capuchin Soup Kitchen.
Number of years as resident
30
As a long-time resident who has enjoyed various library programs over the years, from story times to outdoor concerts to crafts, I want to ensure that the Cromaine Library stays financially healthy and remains a key Hartland asset for district residents.
My background includes experience as a media paraprofessional at Hartland Consolidated Schools, as well as other office roles. I also manage the accounting for my husband's company and held major corporate positions before our son was born.
The ones nearest to my heart are the programs for kids, which were a big part of raising our son in Hartland, and the accessibility available to seniors, which both my mother and my mother-in-law enjoyed when they were with us. It seems the programming, along with the vast collection of printed materials, is very important to our community.
Being a member of the Hartland Lions Club has brought me joy in helping those who receive the services the club raises money for. From helping out at local blood drives, ringing bells for the Salvation Army, helping out at Bountiful Harvest (our local food pantry), to working on clean-up days at Bear Lake Camp, helping kids with disabilities are just a few things I enjoy while being a member of the club. I have also spearheaded the saving of our Messiah Concert at the Hartland Music Hall, which ran for over 80 years before almost being cut.
Campaign Phone
5173048022
Number of years as resident
21 years
Cromaine has been part of my life and my family's life for decades. I grew up in Hartland, graduated from Hartland High School, raised my family here, and spent nearly 30 years as an educator in Hartland.
I decided to run because I have become concerned about the direction and decision-making of the current Board. I believe trustees should follow established policies, respect the expertise of professional library staff, listen to legal counsel, and do the work necessary before making important decisions.
Most importantly, I believe Cromaine should serve the entire community. Families should have the freedom to make choices for themselves and their children, and our library should remain a welcoming place to learn, explore ideas, access information, and connect with others.
I bring nearly 30 years of experience as a public educator in Hartland, including serving as a classroom Math teacher, Math Instructional Coach, and Assistant Principal. Those roles required me to work with students, parents, staff, administrators, and community members with many different perspectives.
I learned the importance of listening, asking questions, working collaboratively, following policy, and making decisions based on facts. My leadership roles also gave me experience with budgets, personnel, and the responsibilities of public institutions.
I also know Hartland. I grew up here, graduated from Hartland High School, spent my career here, and raised my family here. I understand that a trustee's role is responsible oversight and governance while respecting the expertise of the professionals hired to operate the library.
One of Cromaine's greatest strengths is that it serves so many different people in so many different ways. Books and access to information remain at the heart of a public library, but today's library is much more than that.
Early literacy programs support children and families. Students need research materials, technology, study spaces, and educational resources. Adults and seniors benefit from books, digital resources, programming, technology assistance, and lifelong learning opportunities.
Cromaine is also an important gathering place. Programs, meeting spaces, community events, and partnerships bring people together. Most importantly, Cromaine should continue to listen to the community and adapt as its needs change. A strong public library should provide resources and opportunities for people at every stage of life.
Hartland has been my home for most of my life, and staying involved in this community is important to me. I retired from teaching in 2025 after 30 years as a Hartland educator, although I returned to help the district as a long-term substitute this past school year.
I am the Head Coach of the Hartland High School Girls Golf Team, which allows me to continue working with students and families.
I also remain connected to former students, families, educators, local businesses, and community organizations. Hartland is where I grew up, built my career, raised my family, and continue to serve.
Number of years as resident
18
I have loved books, libraries, and librarians from the moment I learned to read. The fact that there is a public space in the community that offers books, magazines, newspapers, computer access, and a wide variety of programs for free is what makes libraries truly unique and essential institutions.
An essential feature of public libraries is that everyone in the community should feel welcome to use the library's various resources, and my concern regarding the current Board at Cromaine Library is that they are working to marginalize and ostracize certain segments of the community. As a result of this, the Board's priorities have come into conflict with the professional judgment of the Director and staff of the library.
The Board's function should be to complement and assist the Director and staff in making the library as good as it can be. If elected, I want to work toward eliminating the hostile and divisive environment which the current Board has fostered.
I taught in the English Department of Wayne State University for four decades, with classes such as: Composition, Creative Writing, Playwriting, Introduction to Film, American Studies, Introduction to American Literature, and so on.
In addition, I am a professional writer. As a playwright, I have had productions in over twenty countries and all of my full-length plays are published. I have also published novels, non-fiction books, and have adapted my plays into films.
My experience as a teacher and writer over a wide range of genres gives me the kind of knowledge and perspective well-suited to offering guidance and input to libraries regarding their holdings and the kinds of programs they might offer.
It's really up to individual patrons of a library which services they value and prioritize. That's why it's important to offer a wide range of services to the community. Perhaps it's some kind of story-time for parents with small children. Perhaps it's giving senior citizens access to the latest periodicals. Perhaps it's inviting guest speakers to offer forums on their field of expertise.
A good library is many things to many people and is always willing to evolve based on the needs of the community.
In the past, when my children were younger, I was a volunteer soccer coach for both boys and girls youth teams in Hartland. As someone who played soccer at Michigan State University and also worked as a soccer referee, I felt it was important to pass on my knowledge and experience for the benefit of the kids and community.
Currently, the Hartland Players will be producing my play, "Vino Veritas," as part of their 2026-2027 season. I look forward to not only seeing the production, but also offering audience talkbacks, and perhaps even a playwriting workshop or two.
Number of years as resident
46
I would seek to restore Cromaine Library board to its former reputation as a welcoming place for all patrons. I would help to correct the discrimination and censorship policies imposed by the current board majority. It is my belief that board members should remain non-partisan and not impose their political or religious beliefs when voting on library governing issues. Moving children/teen books to the adult section, labeling books based on personal prejudice, threatening and denigrating staff, exposing the library to potentially expensive lawsuits, and not following their own policies have all occurred under this board majority. I would like to help to reverse these actions and restore support for our library director and staff and restore professionalism to the board.
I am currenting serving on the library board - appreciating the serious business and responsibility of the position since I was appointed in 2022.
I have had a life-long career of engagement working with and on non-profit boards. I understand the importance of board decisions. (Retired Director of Livingston County United Way for 15 years, Former Director of Livingston County Catholic Charities for 10 years, serving on many local non-profit boards and past elected trustee to Brighton Township board.)
I have been a Cromaine Library patron for 46 years.
Cromaine Library is unique in being "the heart of the community". It is so much more than just the services it provides. When fully implemented, the current strategic plan will greatly expand the footprint of services, both in the outside Commons space and in the number of programs and community outreach.
I am currently the Treasurer of the Cromaine District Library Board.
For the last 6 years I volunteer as a weekly driver for Meals on Wheels.
Number of years as resident
8
I am motivated to seek re-election because I strongly believe in promoting the health and safety of our community. I would like to continue to advocate for parent and guardian rights, the protection of children, and the support of a balanced library collection.
As a Clinical Nurse Specialist, I have 25 years of expertise in healthcare including education, research, leadership, and innovation. I have served as a library trustee for the past 4 years during which time I have strived to incorporate the health and safety of our community in my decision making.
The Cromaine library should be a center of learning, culture and community for everyone. The library should be a meeting place where all generations feel welcome.
I have been a trustee of the Cromaine District Library for the past 4 years. I am the Chairperson of the Livingston County Health Advisory Committee.
Campaign Phone
2155655397
Number of years as resident
8
My family uses Cromaine regularly, and I've seen firsthand what a valuable resource it is. I'm also running because I have concerns about some of the current Board's actions and believe Cromaine would benefit from a renewed focus on transparent, consistent, policy-based governance.
Trustees have an important responsibility to provide oversight, set policy, listen to the community, and hold the Library Director accountable. I believe Board decisions should be consistent, nonpartisan, and grounded in adopted policy, sound legal guidance, and the library's mission to serve the entire community. Parents should be empowered to make choices for their own children while respecting that other families may make different choices.
I want Cromaine to remain welcoming and accessible to everyone in our district, with a Board focused on responsible stewardship, public trust, and the library's long-term success.
I bring experience leading people, managing complex organizations, and making decisions based on evidence, policy, and professional expertise.
I hold an Electrical Engineering degree from Temple University and a Master's in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan. As an Engineering Manager for one of the Big Three, I bring together different perspectives, manage resources responsibly, and solve difficult problems. I set clear expectations, hold people accountable, and give professionals the latitude to do their jobs.
I've also served on the Hartland Players board, giving me firsthand experience with nonprofit governance, and learned about running sound and lights for shows along the way.
Trustees shouldn't personally run the library or make day-to-day decisions about how materials are selected or shelved. Their role is to set policy, provide oversight, evaluate the Library Director, listen to the community, and responsibly steward public resources.
A great public library serves people throughout every stage of life, so I don't think there is one service that matters most.
For my family, that has included children's programming, books, community events, and opportunities for my youngest son, who has disabilities, to participate, learn, and feel included. That experience has made the importance of accessibility particularly meaningful to me.
In a largely rural community like ours, the library also serves as an important point of connection and access. Residents come to Cromaine for early literacy, technology and internet access, digital resources, research, educational and cultural programming, meeting spaces, or simply a welcoming place to connect with their community.
That's what makes a public library special. It belongs to all of us. Cromaine should continue evolving with our community and provide books, resources, programs, information, and spaces that give every resident the opportunity to learn, explore, and connect.
My wife and I have lived in Livingston County since 2014 and in the Hartland community since 2018, where we're raising our two sons.
I'm a Lifetime Friend of Cromaine and regularly attend Library Board meetings, which has given me a deeper understanding of the issues facing the library and the responsibilities of its trustees.
Beyond Cromaine, I've served on the board of the Hartland Players, I currently volunteer with the tech ministry at my church, and I have been involved in numerous activities connected to my children's schools and interests.
Much of my community involvement has grown naturally from raising a family here. Through the library, local arts, schools, my church, and other organizations, I've had the opportunity to meet and work alongside people with many different backgrounds and perspectives. I'm running for Library Board because I'd like to contribute more directly to the community our family calls home.
