Home municipality
City of Middleton
Home ZIP code
53562
Preferred pronouns
she/her/hers
We need to build more. We should be building ~83 legally restricted affordable rental units each year to meet demand, but we’re producing half that number. This is a market failure the city can address through our new Housing Action Plan, which includes investing in new affordable units, providing grants for energy-efficiency and accessibility improvements to existing older housing, and enacting ordinances to protect renters. I helped research and write this plan, and look forward to implementing it as mayor.
Our campaign’s vision for sustainable, managed growth can preserve what makes Middleton special. As chair of the Plan Commission, I’ll hold developers accountable for preserving and protecting our green spaces. We’ll reduce traffic by improving transit service, creating safer infrastructure for bikes and pedestrians, and locating multifamily housing along transit lines. We’ve already updated our landmarks ordinance to protect historic buildings and districts, and we’re exploring the costs/benefits of collaborating with the Village of Waunakee to expand emergency medical services.
I see the Community Campus as a thriving mix of staff and residents of all ages coming together in welcoming, healthy spaces. I toured facilities in McFarland, Windsor, and Sheboygan to learn how other municipalities provide residents and staff with accessible, energy-efficient spaces at a reasonable cost. I’m interested in engaging young people in conversations about the plan because they’ll use the campus today as students, in 10-20 years as adults and possibly parents, and in 40-50 years as older residents. I would advocate for a fundraising campaign to defray the cost to taxpayers.
I want to engage young people in our city government. I’ll establish a Mayor’s Council of Youth and meet regularly with our younger residents to foster civic mindedness—crucial to a well-functioning democracy—and to learn about their needs and how well the city is meeting them.
I’ll also keep people informed about what our city government is doing and how it affects all of us. I’m the only elected official who writes a monthly e-newsletter to explain to constituents what’s happening in city government, how I’m voting, and why. As mayor, I’ll expand the newsletter to include all of Middleton.
I earned a master’s in Public Policy from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s in geology from Lawrence University. In my career at the Council of State Governments, I focused on protecting the Great Lakes and also developing plans for safely shipping radioactive waste around the country. This work strengthened my ability to research, analyze, and write evidence-based policies, improve programs, and bring people together to solve complex problems. During my four years as an alder, I’ve served constituents in a responsive, hard-working, and effective manner. My endorsement by fellow city leaders and committee members reflects that effectiveness, as does my long-standing dedication to our community through service to local nonprofits.
Home municipality
City of Middleton
Home ZIP code
53562
Middleton’s approach to affordable housing is working, but more remains to be done. Under my leadership, we modernized zoning for the first time since the 1980s, increasing approvals from about 10 homes a year to more than 200 and adding more supply at more price points. We’ve paired growth with targeted tools, including a one-year TIF extension approved in April 2026. Moving forward, we must continue a balanced, data-driven approach that expands housing options while remaining fiscally responsible.
Development should be guided by long-term planning that balances growth with safety, mobility, and conservation. That means planning infrastructure before problems arise, coordinating across departments, strengthening school safety corridors and Complete Streets, protecting the Conservancies, and respecting historic areas. When we listen to residents and use data to guide decisions, we can grow in ways that improve quality of life and protect what makes our community strong.
My vision for the Community Campus redevelopment is to focus first on real needs, especially senior services. That meant prioritizing ADA compliance, a commercial kitchen for Meals on Wheels, and adequate programming space. We paused to work directly with seniors on whether to move out of downtown or stay. By incorporating the former Edward Jones space as a new wing and meeting fire and space requirements, support shifted from 60% to 90% favoring staying downtown. Funding should be phased, transparent, and fiscally responsible, using long-term planning tools while protecting core city services
Beyond housing and development, I can make a difference by focusing on long-term planning and fiscal responsibility. That includes keeping property taxes low while investing wisely in infrastructure, parks, and public spaces; supporting firefighters, police, and EMS; strengthening environmental resilience through flood mitigation and conservancy protection; and improving walkability and bike safety through school safety corridors, paths, and pedestrian investments.
I currently serve as Mayor of Middleton and previously served on City Council, working closely with staff on budgeting, infrastructure, public safety, parks, and emergency response. The role is part-time, and I also work as a federal Project Manager, protecting more than 1,200 facilities nationwide and training thousands on de-escalation, interagency coordination, and risk management. I bring over 20 years of federal budget and management experience, strong committee leadership, and deep community involvement, all grounded in data-driven decision-making and collaboration.
