Education
Juris Doctorate, Univ. of Florida, Levin College of Law, 1999; Bachelor of Arts, Univ. of Florida, 1996; Diploma, Wellington High School, 1" Class to Attend 4 yrs., 1992
Experience
Wellington Village Councilman 2015-2026
Campaign Phone
5616899787
As a parent, product of D6 public schools and longtime municipal leader, I know schools are the foundation of our community. My priority will be ensuring every child has access to best-in-Florida, best-in-the-Nation, public education, achieved by focusing on core academics, supporting and retaining great teachers, and maintaining fiscal discipline. We must improve early literacy and math achievement, expand career and technical education, strengthen workforce readiness and guard tax dollars.
I'm outspoken in my support for our teachers; they are the tip of the spear. Recruiting and retaining outstanding teachers must be a top priority. I support competitive salaries and benefits that reflect the vital role educators play, while remaining fiscally sound. We should reduce administrative costs and improve efficiency so resources can be directed to teacher compensation, classroom instruction and student success. Our teachers must be able to afford to live/work in Palm Beach County.
Budget decisions must be guided by transparency, accountability and be linked to outcomes. I will prioritize classroom instruction, teacher compensation and campus safety while identifying inefficiencies in operations and leveraging technology to reduce costs. Every expenditure should be evaluated based on its value for students, with long-term fiscal sustainability guiding every decision. I am the only candidate with experience managing $100+Million budgets; what I will do is what I have done.
Student mental health is essential to academic success and school safety. The district should continue strengthening access to school-based counselors and mental health professionals, improve coordination with community providers and promote early intervention. As Board Member, I will foster strong communication among parents, teachers and administrators while also supporting peer intervention programs and creating safe, supportive learning environments for every student.
Education
Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling
Experience
I proudly served Palm Beach County Schools for more than 10 years as an educator, and I'm also a former mental health therapist. Throughout my career, I've worked with children, families, and individuals at organizations including South County Mental Health, Legacy Behavioral Health Center, and the
Campaign Phone
5618597493
I will fight to increase student support and mental health resources.
I will support employees and work to rebuild school enrollment.
I will focus on academic recovery (from covid) and improved instruction in math and reading. Free Tutoring to our students.
As a former Palm Beach County educator, this issue is personal to me. Earlier this year, I stood before the School Board holding one of my old pay stubs because I know firsthand the sacrifices our teachers make. We must continue to invest in competitive pay, strong benefits, and a culture where educators feel respected, supported, and valued. When we support our teachers, our students succeed. It's one of the smartest investments we can make for the future of Palm Beach County Schools.
We must be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. School Board members review the budget at least 3 times throughout the year and work closely with the superintendent and district financial officers. I would carefully examine spending, protect classroom resources, identify efficiencies, and pursue grants and community partnerships. Every budget decision must be transparent, data-driven, and focused on students, teachers, and academic success.
Mental health isn't just one of my priorities it's my life's work and my calling. As a former mental health therapist, I've walked alongside children and families during some of their most difficult moments. I know firsthand that when a child's mental health is supported, they are better able to learn, grow, and succeed. As your School Board member, I will advocate for expanding access to school-based mental health services, strengthening partnerships with community providers.
Education
Ed.D. Educational Leadership and Policy (December 2010) State University of New York at Buffalo Masters in Educational Administration (June 2002) State University of New York at Buffalo Masters of Arts in Bilinguistics and Bicultural Studies (June 1990) Marywood College, Scranton, PA Bachelor of Sci
Experience
18 Years classroom teacher, 15 years administration, (1 Year program coordinator, 1 years assitant principal, 13 principal) 4 years district level. (District Facilitator) 6Years Private School, School board Berean Christian Academy. Palm Beach County
Campaign Phone
716-998-5325
With my career-long role as an educator and administrator, my top priority will always be to direct the conversations and decisions that come before the school board toward the impact they will have on student outcomes, teacher support, and improving the atmosphere and learning environments of our schools.
While incremental increases have occurred at the state level in recent years, the battle that it took for the local system to join in the effort to properly compensate teachers and their classroom support staff was unconscionable. While we arrived at the right result, more work remains, and as a former teacher, I'll work toward responsible budgeting overall so teacher compensation does not have to be on the chopping block.
Budget shortfalls are not just a problem for the school system. They are the problem many of our students' families face daily, and so I'll approach it with a compassionate, logical review of line items, to see where we can improve as stewards of the tax dollars that fund our systems. While just decrying "waste" as a broad statement is popular, we must do what ordinary citizens do, and judiciously review our spending to make sure we are maximizing our budget, and are accountable in the process.
The first step to improving mental health services for students is to be forthright about the complexity of the issue. With online access, unprecedented exposure to media, and now the concerns of AI blurring reality for students, our first line of defense should be providing a classroom and school environment that is focused on learning, and not on adding the pressure of making kids feel responsible for adult issues.
