1. What inspired you to run for a position on the school board?

I have more than 11 years of experience as a volunteer and coach in the Hood River Valley, including roles on the Parkdale Elementary School Site Council and the HRCSD Boundary Committee. It has been a privilege serving the families and kids in our communities. I always strive to bring my best to each role through adaptive coaching, problem solving, collaboration, and advocating for kids. I would like to continue to serve our amazing community on the HRCSD Board of Directors, representing the best interests of all the students in our school district.

2. What do you hope to bring to the school board?

My previous board experiences with Hood River Valley Little League and Hood River Whitecaps Travel Baseball Program have helped shape my factual and analytical approach to decision making. I have served in both leadership and member positions, and am confident in my ability to work with others to find consensus in a multitude of situations. I am willing to listen to questions, concerns and complaints, as well as make my own inquiries and voice my opinions. And ultimately, decisions made would support all the stakeholders served by the school board — students, parents, district staff and community members.

3. What do you believe are the biggest issues faced by our schools and how do you plan to tackle them?

Safety is a huge issue nationwide and it’s imperative HRCSD keeps safety the top priority. We must continue developing relationships between the district and community partners to keep schools safe.

Mental health resources must be available so students have a safe place to express themselves and be supported. Students are dealing with immense pressures to succeed and navigate an ever-changing world. Providing adequate mental health services will equate to better classroom success and stability for students.

Additionally, critical school board responsibilities should include budget and spending oversight. We are obligated to ensure we’re maximizing the benefits from every dollar spent.

4. Nationally, there are a lot of questions regarding the appropriateness of some curriculum. Do you have any concerns with the curriculum in our schools? If so, what are they?

My biggest concern is how other school districts are trying to modify curriculum in the name of “appropriateness” through their push to edit our history. I am not in favor of teaching inaccuracies. Presenting the full picture of history, even if learning about a topic makes us uncomfortable, promotes opportunities for discussion and helps develop empathy. Our curriculum should challenge students to engage in critical thinking. Diluting or altering any aspect of the curriculum will not serve our ultimate goal of creating students who are cultured, well-rounded, life-long learners.