Campaign Phone
3072643016
I am running for ACSD#1 Trustee because I believe our schools should prepare students for both graduation and real life. As a lifelong Laramie resident, ACSD#1 graduate, and parent of two students in the district, I bring the perspective of a student, parent, and community member.
My professional experience has given me practical skills in leadership, budgeting, operations, problem-solving, personnel management, and making difficult decisions while balancing competing needs. I am willing to listen, ask questions, and be accountable to our community. I want to help strengthen our schools and ensure every student has meaningful opportunities to succeed.
The recalibration creates a challenge because funding has increased overall, but more of it is restricted to specific categories, limiting the district’s flexibility to move funds where they are most needed. ACSD#1 is also facing pressures in areas such as activities, special education and transportation. I would prioritize transparent, needs-based budgeting; closely track restricted funds; protect classroom resources and essential student services; identify efficiencies before cutting programs; and work with legislators to address gaps in the funding model.
I would support a stronger, individualized approach to preparing students for life after graduation. College should remain an option, but it should not be the only measure of success. Students interested in trades and technical careers should have greater access to hands-on training, apprenticeships, certifications, internships, and partnerships with local employers. I would also support practical life skills such as financial literacy, communication, problem-solving, and workplace readiness. Every student should graduate with a realistic plan for their next step, whether that is college, a skilled trade, the military, or entering the workforce.
The school board should follow Wyoming law while using the authority it does have to ensure students are treated with dignity and respect and that education remains accurate, age-appropriate, and academically rigorous. State-mandated curriculum should be implemented thoughtfully and without allowing political debates to distract from student learning. I would support transparent communication with parents and educators, consistent policies across schools, and opportunities for community input. Where the district believes state requirements create problems for students or educators, the board should communicate those concerns to the Legislature and advocate for our district.
Campaign Phone
3073996553
I have served as an ACSD#1 Trustee for eight years including serving as Treasurer, Vice Chair, and Board Chair. It has given me the opportunity to learn, grow, and work alongside incredible teachers, staff, families, community members, and fellow trustees who care deeply about our students. I am running for re-election to continue to serve my community and the students and staff of ACSD#1. I have five children-two recent ACSD#1 graduates and three in high school, so I understand the parent perspective as well. I am seeking another term on the Board to help implement our strategic plan with a focus on student centered learning and student and staff wellness. I would be honored to continue serving Albany County and to earn your vote.
Recalibration and siloing of funds severely limits our ability to adequately support all aspects of education by restricting the use of funds for specific staffing positions. It hinders our flexibility to fund underfunded portions of the budget, like athletics, activities, benefits, technology, maintenance, and support staff by preventing districts from shifting resources to operational needs. We resolved this for the current year by using reserve funds to continue to fund items severely underfunded-namely athletics and activities. However, this is not sustainable into the future. We must work with our legislators to seek an amendment to the recalibration bill and remove the siloing of funds and return the funding model to the block grant.
We have exceptional Career and Technical Education courses at our high schools and middle schools. We also offer the opportunity for students to expand their education and obtain college credit through dual and concurrent enrollment courses. Enhancing students’ access to different classes, work experience, internships, and exposure to fields is important to student success. We are currently working to enhance long-term planning for students, helping ensure they are prepared to succeed after graduation. Every student’s path is unique and it is our responsibility to provide students with the best education and skills to succeed after high school in whatever they want to pursue.
Unfortunately, recent laws have mandated districts adopt policies around Parental Rights in Education and Gun Free Zones. Draft bills to control school library materials and ban teaching certain subjects did not become law. We worked diligently with teachers, counselors, parents, and community members to adopt policies that addressed the requirement of new laws, and still maintained the ability of our district to care for all students in a kind, compassionate, and equitable way as we always have. Working together, the school board and community should determine how we manage our schools, not the state legislature. I will continue to advocate for local control and for the kind, fair, understanding treatment of all students in our schools.
Campaign Phone
(307)399-0399
I have a vision of bringing teachers, parents and leadership together to protect the things we love about our schools, and protect vulnerable, at-risk students as we navigate changes to school finance and school policy. I have 20 years of experience in higher education and public policy. I organized a 4-H club on the southside of Chicago and I consulted with Chicago Public Schools on animal programs for special education. I've served on non-profit boards, advised cities on tax policy, and I hope to put my skills and experience to work serving the students and families in Albany County.
As we navigate these changes together, we need to make sure that the priorities for our schools are protected, and we need to make sure that the budgets are not balanced on the backs of our most vulnerable and at-risk students. We don't yet know the full impact of recalibration and the proposed changes to school funding formulas. Legislative hearings and committee meetings are ongoing. There is a ballot initiative this election that affects school funding. The proposals and action so far have the potential to affect afterschool activities, nutrition programs, SROs, teacher pay and more. Threats to school funding have become a perennial issue, but the Wyoming Constitution is clear on the importance of public education.
One of the amazing things about the Albany County Schools is the rich set of programs we have. LMS has music, shop and tech classes. LHS has automotive, agriculture, graphic design and computer classes. Students can take advantage of dual enrollment to take classes at LCCC. We have a top-tier transition academy for intellectually disabled high school students to learn life skills. These types of opportunities have been cut from many other districts across the country. The School Board can fight to protect these programs and recognize all of them as valid paths to completing school.
We can respond with integrity to the legislative mandates. It is our duty to foster students to become responsible adults, capable of critical thinking and leadership, who recognize the inherent dignity and rights of every person. Our student population comes from all over the globe, and we want ACSD students to leave with the competence to thrive in the broader world. There must be accountability to ensure that every student, teacher, staff member and parent in our district is treated with the respect they deserve. History contains hard truths that we learn from, including, as Abe Lincoln said quoting Mark 3:25, "a house divided against itself cannot stand". If we fail to serve our students, we fail our state.
I’m running for school board because I believe deeply in the power of public education. I am a product of Wyoming public schools, and now I have a kindergartener and second grader in ACSD#1. I want to take part in making sure our schools are safe, well-supported, and able to give every child the kind of education I was fortunate enough to receive.
I’ve spent 18 years building relationships and solving problems as a designer and manager. I’m a quick learner, a thoughtful listener, and a strong advocate for others. I won’t pretend to have all the answers, but I’m ready to ask hard questions, do the work, and truly listen to the people most affected by our decisions. Most of all, I am passionate about our schools, our community, and our kids.
I believe the biggest challenge with ACSD#1’s recalibrated budget is the loss of local flexibility. Communities across Wyoming have different needs, and districts should have room to decide how best to use their resources. The Wyoming Supreme Court’s Sept. 17 decision may help, but it also adds uncertainty as the Legislature determines how to respond.
Because the budget is still being formalized, I don’t want to speculate about decisions before I understand the full picture. I’ll listen closely to our CFO, fellow trustees, and educators who have expertise in finance, then help find creative solutions, prioritize our personnel, and advocate for funding that reflects the true cost of educating our students.
Public education should serve all students and prepare them for whatever path they choose after graduation. Along with a broad-based education, a high school diploma should come with strong critical-thinking and practical life skills, preparing students for college, trade school, the workforce, and life as an engaged, well-informed member of society.
I’d love to expand hands-on learning, real-world experiences, and connections with local professionals to help students explore careers and build community relationships. At the same time, we should preserve the humanities and the value of learning for its own sake, not only for future careers. I’m eager to learn from what’s already working here and successful programs elsewhere.
I believe educators and curriculum experts are best positioned to determine how students learn and how schools support them. The Legislature has an important role in setting broad standards, but it becomes government overreach when prescriptive mandates about what schools teach or how they respond to specific groups of students are enacted.
As a trustee, I would advocate for local educator autonomy, access to a broad range of information and perspectives, and thoughtful decisions based on the students in front of us. We must follow state law, but we can also ask questions and work with legislators, other districts, and the courts when changes are needed.
