VOTE411 Voter Guide

I have served as a member of the Committee on Racial Equity with Oregon Metro from 2020-2024 and on the Energy Trust Diversity Advisory Committee from 2020-current. I am familiar with volunteering in community in diverse settings and providing an equity lens to any the committees in which I serve.

As a Hillsboro School District Director, I would be given the chance to make decisions about some of the most important topics as curriculum, allocating of resources, and possibly hiring, while complying with state and federal laws and regulations. I would love to have the opportunity to make decisions about transportation routes and talk about accessible sidewalks within a 1.5 to and from schools.

I believe having a strong mental health curriculum for both students and teachers is vital to the success of our schools. This looks like wellness gatherings for students and educators, train the trainer curriculum and providing better support and resources.

Districts will be facing limited resources in the coming years with the ongoing federal budget cuts and the uncertainty of the Department of Education. Strategic resource allocation and innovative funding solutions will need to be made sooner rather than later.

I am an active Hillsboro resident and community volunteer, including serving my sixth year on the Hillsboro Public Library Board, which prepared me for further public service by giving me the opportunity to review and enact policy, and to represent community interests. I am a small business owner and parent to a current student in the school district, and I believe it is important to represent a wide range of perspectives on the school board, including parental perspective. I am a good listener, a strong supporter of public education, and a believer in holding public servants accountable.

The majority of education policies are set at the state level, and our District has historically always been compliant with the policies in curriculum, student welfare, school regulations, union bargaining, etc. We are also fortunate that our state District Attorney is maintaining our position of state's rights in response to the unconstitutional Executive Orders that have been signed since the beginning of the current administration. Our district will comply with any state-enacted mandates that are necessary to educate the students in our care.

The most urgent issues have to do with funding and budgetary shortages. I will address these issues by advocating for funding from the state, especially in the area of special education, and by working with District leadership to ensure that the Strategic Plan goals and allocations are prioritized in a way that is efficient and effective. Another issue facing public education is the need to be inclusive of all students: every students' citizenship status, race, ethnicity, ability, gender orientation, and sexual identity. I will ensure that the policies and resolutions enacted by the School Board are ones that honor the diversity, safety, and identity of all students.