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ABOUT ME
I am a small business owner and 1990 graduate of Southern Ct State University. My husband and I started our own business in the early 90's on the heels of a recession and quickly built an excellent reputation in the media industry. Over the years my interests expanded to working in the non-profit world, carrying on a family tradition of serving in the human services field. I became involved with Branford Early Childhood Collaborative, a local organization focused on bringing child-focused stakeholders in the town to improve the health, education and safety outcomes of children, birth through age 8.
While living in Branford I produced and secured funding for community initiatives in the areas of early childhood, community playgrounds, large scale multimedia tourism events that drew people from all over New England, and produced children's arts, environmental and water education programs.
In 2017, I ran for office to serve on Branford's Representative Town Meeting (RTM) as the third district candidate and was a the top vote getter in the district. By 2018, I set my sights on state-wide office, ran for State Representative, and was proudly elected to serve the 102nd district. My first year in office I led the passage of a stock epinephrine bill allowing access to this life-saving medication in public spaces. I was honored to be inducted into the Branford Education Hall of Fame in 2019. Today, I serve on the board of the Branford Historical Society as publicity and ways and means chair and can often be found listening to resident's stories of yore.
In 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging our communities, I received a record number of emails and calls from constituents and they continue today. I am humbled to be able to provide so many Branford residents with support during the most difficult times of their lives. Now in my third term, I've never felt more connected to the people that live here in Branford and the issues they face every day.
Today, as we move forward with a new appreciation for the support government can provide during times of crisis, I am focused on being a bridge for the resources our state has and improving systems that address our shortcomings. Whether working to improve oral care for all, connecting our diverse families to life-saving vaccines, finding solutions to the mental health crisis facing our children, or ensuring that the deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing community have the necessary services in our state, I am still that parent that fought for her son's access to a safe and inclusive education.
I serve on the Education Committee, the Committee on Children and the Human Services Committee. I was appointed by leadership to the Connecticut State Advisory Council for Special Education. I previously served on the Work Group Concerning Issues Affecting Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Deaf-Blind Persons; and a Community Hospice Ombudsman Work Group. Additionally, I have served on the bipartisan Bio-Science Caucus, Coastal Caucus, Early Childhood Caucus, Fire/EMS caucus and Arts and Culture Caucus.
Under my leadership Connecticut has produced historic tax cuts while adhering to our fiscal guardrails. We have provided more funding to our local schools while delivering additional tax relief to retirees, all while paying down our long-term debt.
There is still more to do to make our state more business friendly and affordable. We must continue to protect and preserve a women's bodily autonomy and protect access to reliable, affordable health care. We need to be bold enough to tackle the housing crisis with meaningful change by listening to the needs of our neighbors. We must tackle our environmental challenges with the urgency it requires to ensure a future for our children to raise families of their own.
