A lifelong Colorado resident, I was born and raised in Fort Collins—back when it was still an ag town with more in common with Laramie than Boulder.

My family raised me with a strong connection to land: hunting, fishing, growing and preserving food, and long days outside. As a kid I sometimes resisted it, but those experiences shaped my relationship to the natural world, food systems, and the rhythms of rural life. In my early 20s, that connection deepened through rock and ice climbing, which brought me to the San Juans in 2012.

I’ve spent the past 14 years living and working across the region—from Ouray and Telluride to Norwood, Hastings Mesa, and now Rico. My career has centered on community-building, first through over a decade at the Wilkinson Public Library and now through local leadership, nonprofit, and communications work. I focus on outreach, resource sharing, and consensus-building, with a commitment to ensuring all voices are heard.

Like many in our region, I come from a blue-collar background and have worked a wide range of jobs to build a life here. For six years, my husband John and I cared for a 200-acre ranch on Hastings Mesa, deepening my understanding of rural infrastructure, land and water stewardship, and resource access.

Today, we live in Rico, where we are actively involved in the community—John with the volunteer fire department, and myself through the Planning Commission and local arts and gathering spaces. I’ve seen how deeply people care about this region, and how important it is that both our communities and landscapes are thoughtfully represented.

I’m committed to bringing that perspective—grounded in hard work, connection to land, and service—to everything I do. It would be an honor to help shape a strong future for us all.