VOTE411 Voter Guide

I’ve been elected twice to the Corvallis School Board and served for over 8 years, including as Chair. I also served as President of the Oregon School Boards Association and sit on the National School Boards Association Board. I bring deep knowledge of school governance, policy, and legislative advocacy. I helped lead the largest school facility improvement in Corvallis history and ensure students’ voices—especially from underserved communities—are at the center of our decisions.

Our district must follow federal and state education laws to ensure equity, safety, and access for all students. I bring deep legislative knowledge that helps our board influence policy and understand how laws shape funding and programs. I also stand against recent federal efforts to politicize public education. We must remain focused on students and resist interference that undermines their rights and learning.

Declining enrollment linked to housing costs is an urgent challenge. I’ll advocate for policies that keep schools stable and prioritize students—especially those most impacted by funding cuts. I’ll also push for long-term planning and community partnerships to address affordability. As someone who nearly gave up on passing my classes during a family crisis, I believe every child deserves a safe and supportive place to learn and grow.

I've worked as Director of Technology in multiple K-8 schools, and have partnered with various school boards on delivering results on equity and academic excellence.

I believe we violated multiple policies last summer, namely Title I, the Federal ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act), and the Oregon SSA (Student Succeeds Act). In Corvallis, we have Title 1 schools with larger class sizes and less resources than non-Title 1 schools. After conversations with the superintendent and financial director, I believe we are out of bounds with these various regulations, with no intention of correcting our errors. I am running to put pressure on the superintendent and board to deliver on our promises of equity, while increasing our focus on academic excellence.

I would push to consolidate resources as much as necessary to maintain a baseline of services to students, and push for a maximum class size at elementary, middle, and high school. Based on the data available to me, we should close an elementary school immediately, and use the savings to prevent further cuts at the school-level. If we advance more cuts in this environment, we are likely to lose even more families this year, thus exacerbating our current issues.

I believe it's important for the school board to represent a variety of backgrounds and philosophies. I'm a parent who's always been involved in my children's schools. I've had ten solid years of observing and involvement in the school district. I have volunteered in the classroom and talked with many teachers and parents. Having grown up in Corvallis, I have many connections to the community. I'm a businesswoman and a mother. Whether I'm working on our farm, finding homes for my clients, coordinating construction and design projects or being a mom, I've always been a problem solver.

I believe it's the school boards obligation to advocate for a strong public education system by ensuring that policies, vision and goals are met, and to set standards for the performance of schools and superintendents.

I think Corvallis School District has lost its educational focus and needs to take a look at why so many families are leaving the district for other schooling options. Corvallis was once known for its exemplary public school system. I was a beneficiary of this. Now, as a parent of two, I have experienced first-hand a system that falls short. Our wonderful teachers struggle to control classrooms. In the name of educational fairness, individual learning and extra-curriculars are being removed. I believe in educational equity, which means each child receives what they need to develop to their FULL academic, creative and social potential.