After graduating at the top of my high school class, I went to college to become a Spanish and English secondary teacher. I married the love of my life in 1996, and we served as youth and associate pastors at churches in Michigan and Pennsylvania as well as senior pastors at another church in Michigan. I taught in two public schools for a few years before deciding to be a stay-at-home mom for our newborn son. We had three more children, and I loved being at home with them in their early years.
Our family moved to Raytown, Missouri, ten years ago, and I began teaching again at a private, Christian school when our youngest went to kindergarten. Then I began teaching part-time at another Christian school in the area and tutoring English learners online all over the world.
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I quit teaching to focus on my health. I'm happy to say that I've been cancer-free for over five years now, and I've never been healthier! Going through cancer was a wake-up call for sure, and I learned a lot about myself, health, and life. For the past several years, I've been working from home as a freelance writer, ghostwriter, editor, proofreader, and project manager. I've enjoyed setting my own hours and doing something I'm good at while helping others with their projects.
Over the past seven years or so, I've become more involved with our local school system. Three of my four children are dyslexic, and I fought for them to receive the services they needed and deserved. I became concerned about dyslexic students being left behind, so I spoke with the superintendent of curriculum, began attending board meetings, and got involved with some grassroots dyslexia groups who were fighting for change at the state level.
A few years ago, my daughter and I traveled to Jefferson City and spoke before a House Committee and a Senate Committee about reform needed for struggling readers. In 2022 I went back and spoke again at a Senate Committee hearing to share our family's story and urge the senate to pass legislation to support dyslexic and struggling readers. Getting more involved in these areas helped me understand how important it is to have leaders in place who will do what is best for Missouri students and families.
After seeing all the turmoil and chaos our nation has gone through over the last few years, I felt like I needed to do something more to help our state and our nation. I was tired of seeing our freedoms and rights be trampled on. I was appalled at how unelected officials issued unconstitutional mandates in an effort to control our lives; this resulted in businesses and livelihoods being destroyed and churches and other institutions being locked down when people needed them the most. I'm horrified by how our economy is tanking, our schools are struggling, and our communities are hurting.
I've been following politics and learning a lot more about how our founding fathers intended for our nation to work, and we have strayed FAR from that path. If I'm elected to the 28th District for the Missouri House of Representatives, I promise to fight for our freedoms, defend our rights, and stand up to the corruption and fraud that is so prevalent in our government. I'm not a politician, and I won't play political games. I'm a wife, mother, and American who wants to make sure her children and grandchildren (and yours) grow up in a free and strong America.
