Campaign Phone
302-267-6432
Neighborhood/area of residence
Alapocas/Wilmington
Education
MD - Jefferson Medical College; BA/BS in Philosophy and Neuroscience - The University of Scranton
Work Experience
Psychiatrist
Community Involvement
I have been deeply involved in patient advocacy, healthcare team building, and physician education. The teams I've built deliver world-class mental healthcare to vulnerable populations, and the physicians I've trained serve the people of Delaware and have helped solve our serious mental health provider shortage.
Additional Information
I am a progressive Democrat and physician who takes no corporate or PAC money. I would be the only physician in elected office in Delaware if I win - and would take a pragmatic and data-driven approach to solving Delaware's biggest problems. We need to work on modernizing our healthcare system, fixing our public schools, bringing back Delaware industry, and putting money back in the pockets of working Delawareans.
Healthcare costs are out of control, and many of us travel to other states to receive quality healthcare. I would bring over a decade of institutional experience as Delaware's only elected physician to increase access and decrease costs.
When I started this race, Delaware's public schools were ranked 47th in the nation. This is terrible for our children, and is a large reason why young families keep leaving and Delaware industry can't find a stable workforce. Let's reverse the trend. I think that starts with universal childcare and pre-K.
I believe Citizens United is destroying our country, and nothing will ever change until we get corporate money out of our politics.
The only cure for homelessness is housing. I believe in the Hope Centers. I also think we should be rebuilding abandoned areas throughout Wilmington. We'd provide homes, jobs, and improve our city. We spend more money not fixing this problem. If you have nowhere to go, you end up in the emergency room - to significant cost to the taxpayer.
I understand concern that investment in homelessness may increase the unhoused population coming from surrounding states. I would propose an interstate compact so that any increase in funding is proportionally matched by neighboring states. We're in this together - Delaware shouldn't be the only one footing the bill.
Almost 60% of gun deaths are from suicide. This is something I see all too often as a psychiatrist working in Delaware's busiest hospitals. We have laws that should be preventing mentally ill people from owning firearms - these laws are not being enforced. I will work to fix that.
Further, I see the effects of a crumbling mental health system and increased societal stressors as a determinant of the mass shootings we have lived through for decades. Mental health reform will help, but we also need progressive social and economic policies that help rebuild our society.
I believe in safe storage laws. I would support a ban on assault weapons.
The first thing we need to do is start electing politicians that believe that healthcare is a human right, and getting people out of office that are funded by insurance companies.
And while we fight for Medicare for All on a federal level, there is plenty we can do in Delaware to drive down costs and increase access. The medical school is a great idea. We will train our best and brightest at home - and the research shows that young doctors practice where they train. We will fix the physician shortage in Delaware within a generation.
We also need to hold hospitals accountable. Psychiatric hospitals in Delaware routinely refuse to provide care to those deemed "too sick," causing increased costs and overcrowding. I'll work to fix that.
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Campaign Phone
302-409-0090
Neighborhood/area of residence
Fairfax
Education
Juris doctor, Suffolk University Law School (Boston); Bachelor of Arts, University of New Hampshire (Durham)
Work Experience
I have a proven track record of standing up for those who have been silenced and can’t defend themselves. Before I even had the dream of running for office, I worked for a small-town newspaper where I learned what it means to be accountable to the community. The power of our words can change lives; I saw this even more deeply as I studied law following my career in journalism. I put myself through law school at night and was ecstatic when I was hired as a Deputy Attorney General for the Delaware Department of Justice. It was there that I advocated and sought justice for survivors of domestic violence, child abuse, and elder exploitation. I also served as chief executive officer for the Children’s Advocacy Center of Delaware, a nonprofit agency that provides coordinated, child-friendly support, medical evaluations, and forensic interviews for children who are victims or witnesses of abuse, neglect, or serious domestic violence.
Community Involvement
My advocacy extended beyond the courtroom and print newspapers. My son, Nate, gave me a crash course in navigating our healthcare system. Diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a rare cancer, just after his first birthday, Nate faced continuous medical challenges. I met so many families in the hospital who faced serious stress and challenges to make ends meet and navigate complicated red tape. These experiences inspired me to fight for better funding, reduce red tape, and ensure better access to healthcare specialists. I will always advocate so our youngest learners have what they need to be successful and all children can thrive.
Additional Information
I’m a mom, a lawyer, and an advocate. But most importantly - I'm a neighbor in the 12th District. I'm proud of what we've accomplished together. Now more than ever, we must come together to stand up to the many federal actions that impact our daily lives. I’ve pushed for the protection of Delaware students from ICE enforcement and passed the Freedom to Read Act to prevent ideologically banning books, and I will continue to fight bullies and all forms of overreach that infringes on our neighbors.
The biggest issue facing Delawareans is affordability. My neighbors are worried about paying their skyrocketing bills to pay for child care, healthcare, housing, gas prices, electric bills, and groceries. We need serious leaders in Dover to address their complicated issues.When it comes to my leadership style, I'll always take action. I secured the sustainability of a third of the state budget to fund what we all care about: schools, roads, fire companies, and healthcare. I will continue to hold corporations accountable for their greed and to fight against corporations invading our privacy.
I support common sense action to support people experiencing homelessness with dignity and compassion. As a Deputy Attorney General, I represented unhoused individuals and saw their struggles in real time. Holistic support and resources are essential to helping people thrive. I support investments in mental health and drug addiction services. I support expanding affordable housing, so we reduce the number of people becoming homeless due to unaffordable housing costs. We should not be criminalizing the homeless. We also need to ensure that communities have parks and sidewalks free from encampments posing health and safety risks.
I am a dedicated champion for gun safety legislation. I have been endorsed by Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence and I am a candidate with distinction with Mom’s Demand Action. As a criminal prosecutor, I have an intimate understanding of the violence and harm in our community with the proliferation of firearms. I have passed legislation to require safe storage, protect victims of domestic violence, and reduce gun violence. I am a proud sponsor of the assault weapons ban passed in 2022.
I know what it's like to care for a loved one with serious health needs. I’ve lived this: phone calls, bills, and confusing explanation of benefits. Delawareans need more affordable healthcare. I've been at the forefront of fighting for a better healthcare system that provides coverage for essential treatments like mental health services, immunizations, menopause care, HIV prevention, and medicines like biologics and biosimilars. I fought to reduce prior authorization windows so my neighbors can get the treatment they need as recommended by their doctor rather than spend time fighting with insurance companies. This year, I ensured real investments for primary care and held hospitals accountable for their role in increasing healthcare costs.
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