I’m a bridge builder who values experience, collaboration, and pragmatic solutions so we can remain focused on the issues that will improve people’s lives
One of the core roles for the county board is to ensure that taxpayers’ funds are used efficiently and wisely. Washington County currently has the second lowest tax burden in the metro area, and provides high quality services for what we taxpayers pay. Previous commissioners have been responsible stewards of the county’s dollars, and it’s imperative that we continue pursuing sound fiscal policy.
State and federal budgets may be entering a period of great change and instability, but Washington County’s responsibilities to its residents haven’t changed. When state and federal governments reduce their funding to the county, the county’s obligations remain the same. We need pragmatic, steady leadership on the budget to ensure we are using our dollars as effectively as possible. Many of the services the country provides are considered essential and solutions to balancing the budget cannot be solved by simply cutting services. We also cannot cavalierly raise taxes and price people out of the communities they call home. I support looking at additional grants and partnerships as a way to share costs and reduce taxpayer burden, while still offering essential, high-quality services to our community
In my five years serving on the South Washington County School Board, our fund balance – the district savings account – dramatically increased from 2% to 16%, or from roughly one week’s money in the bank to about two months’. This was in part because our board made strategic spending cuts for the financial health of the district long-term. This positioned us to better weather any unpredictable shocks to our system, like a pandemic. We also focused on improving our bond rating – the district’s equivalent of a credit score. The improved fund balance and bond rating allowed us to spend our money more judiciously, investing in student outcomes and lowering interest rates for taxpayers. I will bring that same mindset to the county.
Housing costs are far outpacing people’s salary increases, and county residents have shared that affordable, stable housing is an area of improvement for the county. In order to keep our county and city a vibrant, welcoming place for everyone, we need to invest in both thoughtful economic development and affordable housing.
The Washington County Community Development Agency (CDA) does outstanding work helping make home ownership more attainable via loan programs for first time homeowners and for home improvement. Housing support from the county helps ensure seniors can stay in our community and that necessary workers, like teachers and public safety officers, can afford to live here. I’m also committed to supporting local support for affordable housing, like Woodbury’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority. We need to ensure affordable housing is sustainable and remains affordable in the future, not just at time of construction.
Purposeful economic development – not a free-for-all – is critical to ensuring that our county can continue to be an attractive place for all. I am a member of the Woodbury Chamber of Commerce, and will continue to foster close connections between the county and local businesses to boost economic success for the entire community.
I also support Washington County’s CDA’s work to actively recruit new businesses to the county. Both the CDA and the Workforce Development Board play vital roles in ensuring our business community has the resources it needs to stay vibrant and competitive.
On a side note – I know personally how critical county support can be. During the pandemic, our family business had to temporarily stop operating. A grant from Washington County allowed us to keep paying our rent and other operational expenses until we were able to start back up. To receive the grant, we had to show significant pandemic-related losses. The grant was a crucial lifeline for us, for which we remain extremely grateful, more than 5 years later. I have met so many other small business owners who received similar grants from Washington County during this time – many of them mentioned the lifeline from the county saved their business, which just highlights the importance of this work.
One of our focus areas at Woodbury Thrives is youth mental health, which is also a passion of mine. The Minnesota School Surveys from 2022 and 2025 show how much mental health care is needed by our young people. We have many resources available in the community, but navigation and access are challenging when a family is in a crisis. I will advocate for an increased focus on helping community members get access to care, through dedicated navigators or more outreach and education to providers and the community.
I’ve led Woodbury Thrives for many years, working to make our community healthier by focusing on the social determinants of health. That means we partnered with many local organizations to bring programs like park clean ups, vaccine clinics, pollinator walks, mental health first aid, and bike helmet giveaways to the community.
With a Statewide Health Improvement Partnership grant from Washington County, Woodbury Thrives was able to start the Woodbury Community Garden in partnership with the City of Woodbury. The garden has grown from 16 plots in 2022 to 143 plots in 2025, with spaces allocated for people with disabilities and mobility issues. We hear consistently from gardeners about how the presence of the garden has made a material difference in their physical and mental health and strengthened their connections to the community as a whole. By partnering with Washington County, the City of Woodbury, and various community organizations, we are able to ensure plots remain available for gardeners no matter their background, ability, or income level. I’ll continue to support grassroots efforts to make our communities healthier.
It is critical to invest in our infrastructure, both in ensuring the infrastructure meets community needs and remains well-maintained. Road and transportation planning is something that the county works on over decades, not months. The county also has a long-term maintenance plan that it manages well. Woodbury has many county roads – Valley Creek Road, Radio Drive, Woodbury Drive, and Bailey Road, to name a few – and it is vital that these are taken care of.
One comment I hear frequently is how difficult transportation is within the city for people who don’t have cars or cannot drive. Investing in public transportation allows us to provide for seniors, teens, people with disabilities, and others who don’t have access to transportation. It also helps ensure we can continue to foster a business-friendly environment by providing access for employees and patrons. I’ll continue to advocate for expansion of programs like Metro Micro, which has provided essential transportation within Woodbury.
One of the county’s top strategic priorities is a strong and sustainable environment. Washington County is currently in the process of developing its Climate Action Plan and engaged the community for feedback with an online survey. You can follow the process here.
Clean water is vitally important to us all. In Woodbury, we are all aware of the city’s water treatment plant plans (and the associated traffic!). We need to work to protect clean water sources for our children and grandchildren and beyond. I am very supportive of Washington County’s Groundwater Plan, which has been around in some form for 30+ years and ensures our county works to ensure our water is safe, plentiful, and well-managed. The current plan includes everything from adopting smart salting practices in wintertime to ensuring all PFAS-affected wells are adequately treated. I am committed to working with other partners in local government to ensure that Woodbury and Washington County get the resources we need to ensure clean water for generations to come.
Our parks and libraries are vibrant spaces where the entire community can come together, for little or no cost. Investing in parks and libraries means investing in a low-cost, high quality of life for all taxpayers. The county has beautiful parks that are a treasure for all residents, and provide a great outlet for our community to get and remain healthy and preserve our environment. Residents consistently rank parks and libraries as high quality and among the top services provided by the county.
I have been privileged to serve on the Washington County Library Board since 2024. Libraries continue to be an essential place, providing everything from toddler story time to memory minder kits for people with dementia and their caregivers. Having robust libraries means students have a place to hang out after school, people who need internet access can get online, communities can connect with each other, and bookworms can get the latest bestseller. The libraries continue to improve in response to community needs – from extended hours at Valley Library to the upcoming new, redesigned Park Grove Library – and I am proud of the work our library staff does. 
Real Experience. Practical Solutions. One Community.
My goal is to ensure residents are put first. I am committed to being a voice for District 5 on the county board.
