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Age
48
Occupation / Current Position
Senior Project Manager
Education
B.S. in English, Central Michigan University
Experience & Qualifications
KHPS Board Member since February, 2017
I bring strong district experience, board service, community involvement, and professional skills to this role. As a proud Kenowa Hills graduate, lifelong resident, and parent of two recent graduates, I care deeply about our schools. Since joining the Board of Education in 2017, I have gained valuable experience in governance, budgeting, personnel oversight, and strategic decision-making. My background in marketing also strengthens my communication, listening, and problem-solving skills. I am committed to responsible decisions that support students, staff, and the long-term success of Kenowa Hills.
Improving student achievement starts with supporting the teachers and staff who work with our students every day. The Board must also hold district leaders accountable by setting clear goals, reviewing data, and making changes when needed. We need to stay focused on our strategic priorities, use the budget wisely, and direct resources as much as possible to classrooms, programs, and services that support students. Our community also plays an important role. Passing the November operating millage is critical to maintaining the foundation of Kenowa Hills and helping students succeed.
The most important issues facing public schools today include stable and adequate funding, educator shortages, and improving literacy and academic proficiency. Schools need reliable resources to support instruction, facilities, safety, technology, and student services. At the same time, recruiting and retaining quality teachers and staff is increasingly difficult. Most importantly, we must ensure students are reading proficiently, mastering core academic skills, and receiving the support they need to succeed in school and beyond. Partnering with families is also essential, as strong school-family relationships help support each child’s learning, growth, and long-term success.
My priorities in balancing the budget are to protect student learning, maintain essential programs and services, support and retain quality educators and staff, and ensure taxpayer dollars are used responsibly and transparently. Public education dollars should always be spent with students in mind first. It is also important to recognize that this conversation looks very different if the operating millage does not pass in November. Without that funding, the district would face much more difficult decisions, making it even more critical to prioritize classrooms, student support, and the programs that most directly impact student success.
Age
28
Occupation / Current Position
Deputy Clerk, City of Belding
Education
B.A. Public & Nonprofit Administration; Grad. Cert. in Election Administration; Juris Doctorate in progress
Experience & Qualifications
6 year school board member (2017-22). 2016 grad of KHHS. Small business owner. 6 year substitute teacher. Over 2000 hours of school board training. Law student specializing in education and disability.
With over 2000 hours of school board training and 6 years of school board service, I'll serve Kenowa Hills to the best of my ability. I have been a substitute teacher for 6 years, gaining insights into how to best support teachers and student learning outcomes. I operate two West Michigan small businesses, with one raising over $500,000 for local charities. When I was on the school board, I prioritized proactive fiscal practices, voting for 6 balanced budgets. I championed raising starting teacher pay and led the effort to connect 100% of Kenowa Hills kids to at-home internet access during COVID school closures. I believe in getting more feedback from students, parents, and teachers in every budget cycle to best shape District priorities.
Student belonging is central to learning outcomes. As a school board member, I advocated for Student Climate Surveys, student seats on the school board, and senior exit interviews to hear directly from students about how we can improve their time at Kenowa Hills. Building resilient and lifelong learners means empowering our students today to shape their own education. Students should regularly be asked about adding electives to shape their own education.
Additionally, KHPS and the nation faces a literacy crisis. Over half of US adults read below a 6th grade level. I'll support more reading supports and partner to grow adult education courses in our region. We can support readers and other programming like life skills for our young people.
Fund public schools. I've advocated to legislators many times to increase resources and will always champion more funding for our schools.
Schools also must build trust in the community. I talk with voters about ACCOUNTABILITY, BELONGING, and COMMUNITY. We must engage more to bring out the best in our students. Let's finally record school board meetings. Let's build a school culture that welcomes every Knight and work together to expand opportunities for them. Let's have students, parents, and teachers be part of every decision that affects them at Kenowa Hills. School boards are only as effective as the KH teams empowered to do the work of building schools that serve this community.
First, it is critical to pass the Nov 2026 bond for KHPS. It costs $0 to homeowners and generates $17 mil for vital District services. Vote YES!
When I served on the school board, I passed 6 balanced budgets for KHPS. My priorities remain the same: we must engage more with students, parents, and teachers about their hopes for our shared future.
I would push KHPS to collect more feedback via surveys, small groups, and empowering PTAs to recommend budget changes.
The next bond committee should have open applications and the Board should ensure that all groups at KHPS are represented. This paints a fuller picture of District needs and builds trust. Our past bond committees have been secret and the list of members have not been disclosed.
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