My Vision & Priorities

Empathy. Accountability. Fairness.

I have spent nearly 15 years fighting for my neighbors in West Salem. As an advocate for West Salem on the City Council, the West Salem Neighborhood Association, and the Salem Parks and Recreation Board, I have worked to secure millions in funding to improve our community.

I am a strong voice for West Salem, asking the hard questions to protect us from special interests and ensure that our voices are heard and livability is prioritized.

When I consider the issues we face in West Salem, I focus on finding solutions that center livability, sustainability, and resilience. My vision for West Salem is…

Livability

I am passionate about projects that help to connect neighbors and bring our community together. West Salem is a unique community that needs a strong voice looking out for us, finding opportunities to grow while protecting livability and affordability for our residents.

As a salmon biologist and environmental advocate, I've spent my life studying, living in, and protecting our environment. I know that smart, green choices aren't just good for the planet. They save our community money and build a stronger future for Ward 8.

I have two children and three grandchildren, so I am always thinking about the future and how the decisions we make can impact them in years to come. That means looking at building a community that will last and making improvements that consider the long-term impacts.

Sustainability

Resilience

Issues for West Salem

  • Growth should never happen at the expense of our community. We need a responsible approach to development; one that puts our residents’ needs first. This means listening closely to the concerns of our neighbors and actively planning and preparing for the pressure that growth places on our city’s transportation infrastructure, our schools, and our public safety capacity.

    West Salem deserves a representative who knows how the land use system works. We need an experienced voice asking the hard questions, pushing the right levers, and making sure our community is heard every step of the way.

    Smart growth means tackling West Salem’s gridlock, securing our water supply, and preparing for emergencies. That starts with supporting the critical Center Street Bridge seismic retrofit to protect our daily commute, while actively planning a sensible long-term layout for an additional bridge. It also means confronting a harsh reality: our water system is failing to keep pace with growth. To protect families from a major crisis, we must immediately invest in West Salem’s new seismically protected waterline and deep well infrastructure.

  • For too long, Salem has shifted its tax burden onto the shoulders of regular homeowners and small business owners. We cannot afford any more corporate handouts that offer zero community return. If developers want to build here, they must deliver real value to our communities—by using sustainable practices and reducing costs for tenants. Developers must be responsive to community voices and deliver on their promises.

    Overcoming the housing crisis means building homes people can actually afford. Right now, the formula we use to define “affordable” is completely out of touch with reality. We need to change that model immediately so we can build true affordable housing that serves our community instead of big business.

  • Affordability isn’t just a statistic to me—it is a lived reality. As a former teacher, state employee, and a mother, I know exactly what it takes to stretch a budget and provide for a family. I was the sole breadwinner, working multiple jobs while raising my children and growing our own food to help put dinner on the table. It was hard, but doable. Today, watching prices skyrocket, I don’t see how working families can possibly make ends meet without drastic change.

    City Council decisions directly impact your wallet—from your utility bills and access to free library services, to how high your property taxes go. Local government should be a partner in lowering costs, not a burden. I am fully committed to using every policy tool available to protect affordability and keep West Salem liveable for working families.

  • As a city councilor and neighborhood association leader, I have successfully secured millions of dollars to upgrade our parks, roads, sidewalks. But my vision for our community goes much further. I am deeply passionate about expanding our parks and ensuring that our neighborhoods and families have space to explore and thrive. I envision a vibrant downtown district on Edgewater, a new community fishing pond at Wallace Marine Park, an additional dog park and walking trails. By strategically investing in local lodging and a pedestrian mall, we can seamlessly host major softball tournaments and community sports events with space for visitors. Working together, we can build the vibrant community we all deserve.