What in your background serves you best in the office you’re running to hold?

I am a lifelong Newtown resident and I care deeply about our community. I have been a member of the Legislative Council for 4 years, including 2 years as Chair of the LC Finance Committee. Before that I served on the Board of Finance for one term. I have been a member of the Borough of Newtown Board of Burgesses since 2012 and Senior Burgess since 2020. I am also Newtown’s Keeper of the Flagpole, in charge of upkeep and maintenance of our iconic flagpole in the center of town. I care deeply about this community, about preserving its past, but also preparing for its future.

What do you think are the most important traits necessary for anyone running for office to do a good job in the role of public servant?

The number one trait is an ability to listen and not to frame your own opinion until you seek input from a cross-section of community members to learn what matters to them. Holding office is not about me; it’s about representing my friends and neighbors, people who I have yet to meet, and people whose views may not align with mine. I always ask myself, “What is best for Newtown?” when I make a decision. I am not afraid to change positions or to take an unpopular stand. I represent people and I am not doing this for myself.

How do you work with those who don’t share your views to find common ground?

Nothing gets done in a town like Newtown unless people are willing to collaborate and meet in the middle. This takes patience, compromise, clear thinking and a willingness to sometimes put your own views aside to find common understanding. I always enjoy a spirited debate with people who don’t share my views. Generally I find the more you talk to someone, the more you have in common with that person. No one who serves in local government is out to harm the community. People have different viewpoints, and I respect that. 

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