• What encouraged you to run for the school board? 

I believe in aiming higher. And strong public schools are the bedrock of a thriving community. I grew up in this district and have raised my three children here. Over the last few years I’ve seen a steady crumbling of our focus on student success and our steadfast support of our teachers and administrators, and it shows in the devastating losses of so many of them. I feel called to support our district in doing better for my kids and all of our kids. I want to bring this community back together and lead by example with kindness, consideration, collaboration, curiosity, and creativity.

• What do you think is FHSD’s biggest strength? Flaw? Explain your answer.

Strength: Francis Howell offers a wide range of programming for a wide range of students — the breadth of offerings we provide our students really amazes me. From athletics to AP courses, the CAPs and early college programs, career pathways to teaching, e-sports, gifted education, Westwood Trail Academy for students who have been diagnosed with significant emotional and behavioral issues and have not been successful in their schools, special education for kids who experience disabilities and require specially designed instruction, Parents as Teachers, and Vacation Station just to name a handful! We have earned a reputation as a high-performing district and our staff goes above and beyond for our students every day. 

Flaw: Our intra-district communications and community relations are lacking. Finding additional avenues and practices to share what we have prioritized, how we’re budgeting, what we’re accomplishing, what headwinds we’re facing, and all the great things we have to celebrate will help build the broader interest and engagement needed for the community to feel invested in us. I’d like to see all of this highlighted on our district website in a consumable format with engaging visuals and updated in our newsletter as well. 

• What is a problem you see in our district, and how do you intend to target it?

We need to place a relentless focus on improving our students’ and teachers’ access to the resources they need to make us a top district. Student success and academic excellence have got to be our top priority. We need focused, strategic and execution planning to secure critical resources, including updated curriculum, additional para support, 1:1 technology, and more professional development opportunities to keep our teachers learning and growing. 

One of the most valuable resources we can provide is time. As a Board of Education member, my role would be to provide oversight without adding to the workload of administrators or staff through unnecessary micromanagement. Educators should be focused on teaching and supporting students, not burdened with extra committee work, curriculum writing, or resource selection if those decisions are just going to be overturned. My priority would be to ensure that our staff has the time and autonomy needed to do what they do best: educate and inspire students.

• How do you intend to be more inclusive for low-income families?

Thankfully, the district already has a number of programs to help ease the financial burden in a number of areas (like reduced/free lunch) for our families needing support. I’d love to dig deeper with the families to understand where they struggle most and work together with the teachers and administration to find solutions we can support or even to help rally support for outside assistance. We have to be intentional with our focus on inclusivity in our policies. Inclusivity impacts so many students in so many different ways and easing financial and other burdens for our students powers more thriving public schools.

• Considering a bill recently filed by area state senator Adam Schnelting, who represents parts of Francis Howell School District, on the topic of defining sex, will you encourage the district to pursue bathroom policies should the bill become law in Missouri? Please explain your answer.

I believe this decision will ultimately be determined at the state level.  My understanding is that the current board has decided not to take up the issue due to the threat of lawsuits. I also believe this issue has been a “hot topic” when the district has many other priorities. Having said that, if it was left to the district, I would listen to our attorneys. The reality is that enforcing bathroom policies opens up sensitive and challenging scenarios given there are competing interpretations of safety, privacy, equality, gender, and even biological sex. Public schools need to ensure all students are safe and welcome, and I do support ALL students, including our transgender kids.  

• What will you do to ensure financial responsibility in the school district? Please explain your answer. 

Aiming higher is my mantra and I envision a district where every child has access to high-quality education, where our teachers feel valued and supported, and where our students graduate prepared for success in college, career, and life. We do face some significant hurdles. Our district is operating with a $2,000-per-student spending gap compared to neighboring districts. Our COVID relief funds are expiring, and we haven’t passed a tax levy in two decades. This impacts everything from teacher retention to our ability to hire essential support staff. And we can’t solve these problems alone. We need to work together — teachers, parents, administrators, and community members — to find solutions. I’ll be transparent about our budget realities. I’ll share the data, explain the tough choices we face, and ensure the community has a clear understanding of our financial situation. This will help us build trust by demonstrating the board is not hiding anything. We’ll create opportunities for meaningful dialogue, gather input, and work collaboratively to develop a plan that reflects our shared values and priorities. 

• How will you help our district retain teachers? Please explain your answer. 

Supporting teachers is a top priority for me, and this requires a multi-faceted approach. Staff morale has developed to be a key risk for teacher retention in our district as of late (the recent FHSD survey amplified this as a top concern). I see three primary focus areas to improve teacher retention: 

1. Pay: Offering competitive salaries for their respective experience is the most obvious need. 
2. Empowerment: Getting the board out of the day-to-day operations of the district is a less obvious, but equally important need. We have to trust our teachers to do their jobs. Micromanaging our teachers depletes morale in addition to just being inefficient and ineffective. Ensuring we provide professional development opportunities also empowers our teachers to stay by keeping them at the top of their game.
3. Resources: We need to provide our teachers updated curriculum and supplemental resources to reduce the burden of aligning lesson plans to our evolving Missouri curriculum standards. Adding resources that enable real-time performance data collection in classrooms will improve efficiency and help teachers deliver more tailored education for individual student needs, mitigating some of the negative impact of our inflated class sizes. I’d also like to determine how we can add teacher assistant/para support back to our classrooms.  

I want to emphasize that we also need to retain support staff. We cannot continue to have vacancies and turnover in important jobs like custodians, secretaries, maintenance workers, and paraprofessionals and expect our schools to thrive. 

8. What is your stance on diversity, equity and inclusion within the district and how do you plan to address it?

Our students are entering a world where diversity is not just a concept, it’s their reality. They’ll work, live, and lead in communities that are more diverse than ever before. Being exposed to more diversity in my education would have better prepared me to step into adult life understanding more about the world. In my role as a product manager, I’ve seen firsthand how diverse teams create better outcomes. That’s why I believe every student deserves a school where they feel safe, seen, and valued. They’ll learn to innovate, problem-solve, and lead in ways that are only possible when diverse perspectives come together. School should be a safe environment to experience the learning that comes simply by being exposed to different types of kids, and we should foster curiosity and respectful engagement with one another. To this end, I would like to see our board establish a district culture standard that actively cultivates dignity, respect, and curiosity while reducing judgment in all interactions. There is a substantial body of research that shows school connectedness is tied to improved academic performance, reduced risk behavior, and positive social development. This means creating classrooms where every students’ voice is heard, where differences are celebrated, and where questions are encouraged, not dismissed. When students feel safe and respected, they’re more engaged in learning. When they’re encouraged to be curious, they become lifelong learners. This creates a foundation for academic excellence. As a board member, I will champion the development and implementation of this culture standard. I will advocate for the resources and training necessary to make it a reality. And I will hold ourselves accountable for ensuring that every student experiences the benefits of this inclusive environment.

9. What will you do to make sure there is clear communication, transparency and accountability with decisions made by the district?

As a leader of product managers for a global corporation, I understand the importance of acting with integrity and the process of building trust with stakeholders. My experience managing diverse teams and driving innovation gives me a unique perspective on how to solve complex problems. My leadership style is grounded in listening, transparency, and supporting data-driven decisions, and I am committed to collaboration, compromise, and open communication. My enthusiasm and proven track record of achieving outcomes by creating positive environments will be instrumental in inspiring our community to support our path to position our district as a top performer in the state.

10. If you could be in any movie what movie would you be in? Please explain your answer.

I’ll say “Legally Blonde.” Elle Woods is an unlikely hero, but people make the mistake of seeing her as a stereotype and underestimate her ability and intelligence. She doesn’t shrink down to fit anyone’s narrative or comfort and remains unapologetically authentic. She knows her worth and her power and stays focused on her mission to stand up for others, maintaining a bit of levity along the way. “What, like it’s hard?”