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Campaign Phone
317-260-7344
ZIP Code
46236
One of the primary responsibilities of the Township Trustee is to administer the Township Assistance (Poor Relief) Fund.
I earned my Masters in Public Affairs from IU SPEA and devoted my 37+ year career as a Public Policy leader in the field of social welfare issues including affordable housing, workforce development and training, youth development and work support programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Health Indiana Plan (HIP) and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) programs.
I have worked for the public sector, private sector, non-profit sector and I owned a consulting firm providing grant writing and program design and evaluation services for non profits.
I possess a passion for serving the underserved.
I would focus my attention of the Affordable Housing crisis. Of the assistance money the Lawrence Trustee dedicated to families in crisis in 2025, 62.5% was for housing. The Township Assistance Fund is not much - just $617,000 was available in 2025 - the office its self will not sufficiently address the need. However, the Trustee can serve as the advocate for the community, identifying solutions with resources to address the problems.
If elected I would raise the following issues with leaders in Lawrence and elected local and state officials who serve Lawrence:
Needs of the growing homeless population,
Substandard housing conditions for renters and the related eviction crisis, and
Expiring subsidies for current affordable housing units.
Early Projects I would focus on include:
Participate in the annual county-wide Homeless Count to determine how many Lawrence families and individuals are experiencing homelessness;
Partner with the Lawrence Small Claims Court to share Trustee resources and help strengthen the court's successful Eviction Prevention program;
Begin dialogue with owners of expiring subsidized housing units to work to preserve the projects' affordability;
Identify and work with affordable housing developers who want to build affordable housing, helping them navigate the regulatory process;
Identify rental communities that fail to provide a habitable units and work with tenants to help them to advocate for their rights.
While most folks believe affordable housing is an important common good, when it comes to actually living near or in affordable housing communities, "Not in my Backyard" attitudes emerge. It will require education of the leaders to break the myths about affordable housing and the people who need it. It will also require connecting the disenfranchised with resources to stand up to the power structure and demand access to affordable housing and other basic rights.
Over the past two years, it has become clear that a war has been declared on the poor. The federal and state governments have enacted laws that will make accessing financial supports much harder. Historically the Trustee has served as a caretaker of those facing a financial crisis. This role must change. The Township Trustee must a Champion for the underserved. Township Trustee works at the community level and can develop local solutions.
Campaign Phone
3176708028
ZIP Code
46226-4749
A. In Lawrence Township the Trustee provides financial assistance to residents that experience an emergency
B. Managing the fourteen pioneer cemeteries and the Community Cupboard of Lawrence, the township food pantry.
C. Prepare and submit the township annual budget and financial reports to the township board and the State Board of Accounts
D. I have the background and experience to continue serving as Lawrence Township Trustee because I am currently and have served as Lawrence Township Trustee since January of 2015. Prior to my is election as Trustee, I was a member of the Indianapolis City County Council for 13 years, served as Council President in 2005, I also worked for the city of Indianapolis a budget analyst for 11 years
A. The greatest challenge facing Township Trustees is changes made by the legislature that reduce assistance to families therefore leaving it to Trustees to fill those gaps.
B. Because of my background and experience I was able to see that reduction coming and positioned ourselves to continue to service our residents at the same level as before and we will continue addressing those challenges. I will Also continue to work with our Senators and Representatives to minimize those changes while I work with staff to find ways to reduce office operating costs while continuing the same level of service to our residents they expect and should receive
Providing financial assistance to residents that experience an emergency is, and will always be our highest Priority
I have been fortunate to have served as Lawrence Township that addressed years and the issues have always been access to the Trustees office or service providers, and I am happy to say we resolved that issues over 5 years ago by becoming the only trustee office in the state of Indiana that addressed those issues by (a) Allowing our clients to complete the application process without coming into the office and (b) By offering free rides to the food pantries located in Lawrence Township
We have built a reputation as a convener of resources through partnership with houses of faith, neighborhood and community groups and other government agencies to assist us in getting the word out that our office is available and ready to serve residents of Lawrence s Township. And if it is a resource our residents need but we are unable to provide we have a list of partners that we are able to connect them with that will be able to provide the resources they need.
