My core belief:  Every student in our district must be provided the educational tools and school environment that enable them to reach their fullest potential, and to successfully compete in an increasingly global society.

Advocacy

As a Board Member, my job is to represent our students and their parents and families, our staff, and our District residents.  We also gain through working with community groups and buisness and civic leaders to create opportunities to keep our schools strong.  I believe in inclusivity for all stakeholders.  I hope I have gained your confidence as an advocate for our schools.

Innovation

Creative approaches are needed to address the priorities of today and tomorrow:

• Work innovatively to close the achievement gap in our increasingly diverse communitiy – be open to explore new approaches that have had success, and directly involve all concerned in the process of identifying, vetting, implementing, and monitoring such innovations. This is a many-layered, nuanced problem that needs addressing with students of diverse ethnic, racial and cultural backgrounds, and among kids of disparate economic circumstances.

• Support teachers with the tools and time needed to reach and teach kids as individuals, despite a system that emphasizes standardized tests and common core approaches. Engaging with kids in ways that help develop strong relationships and societal skills correlates with academic success.

• In today’s uncertain funding climate, we must fight to influence legislators when possible, and promote initiatives that use dollars wisely in the classroom, and that foster parent/family engagement in their learners’ education.

• Maintain strong stewardship of our capital resources as we move ahead with our facilities renovations and upgrades – ensure highest value for every dollar spent.

• Strengthening our status as a “destination” District for families, teachers and staff — there is no greater factor in the success of a community than the quality of its schools — having quality schools are why families choose to move to, or stay in, a city or town.  You deserve a strong, capable School Board, advocating for you and your children.

I have tried to bring my experience and skills to the Board over the past four years, and will work to build on the great things already in place, and explore new ways to strengthen the excellence of the District.

Experience

For the past four years, I have striven to serve my first term as a Board Member faithfully, energetically, responsibly, bringing all my experience and skills to the table, and helping to lead our District as it has dealt with both the day-to-day “little” things, and the bigger issues such as our continuing achievement gap, and our ongoing decade-long facilities improvement project.  I have taken advantage of numerous training and learning sessions offiered by the Minnesota School Board Association, geared toward deepening my understanding and capabilites in areas such as school financing or in performing as Board Clerk, a role I currently hold.

I also represent our ISD623 Board on another Board: Equity Alliance Minnesota (EAMN), formerly known as EMID, the East Metro Integration District.  The new mission of EAMN is to be the leading force for systemic educational equity and integration for school districts across the metro and state by providng collaborative learning programs and educational content for students, staff, administrators and school boards.

For more than ten years, I was deeply involved in the Site Council at our own childrens’s schools, and served as a parent adviser on many task forces and projects – grade level changes, curriculum design, searches, and more. It was this that sparked my interest in first serving on the School Board.

I have also testified at the Minnesota Legislature regarding the voluntary schools integration model and funding, and was active in the successful effort to enable Harambee School to come into ISD 623.  I worked with key legislators, lobbyists, and educators involved in school funding and integration issues, and learned first-hand how to work through the protracted process of moving bills through the Statehouse.  A key “take away” is that just because something is a good idea doesn’t mean it will automatically get support of our legislature — it requires time and energy to “work it” through the process.

Through my work on the Board, I have also been able to work productively with our local County and City elected officials and staff, associations that also were facilitated during my past membership on the City of Roseville Planning Commission.

In my work life, I am a Director of Corporate Development for Mayo Clinic.  Prior to that I led growth and business development for HealthPartners/ParkNicollet, following more than a decade doing planning and management consulting for hospitals and health systems across the country and internationally.

Education:  I have an MBA from Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.  I majored in Management, Finance and Marketing, with a concentration in international business.

I have tried to bring my experience, skills and leadership to the Board in working with different constituencies to reach the right decisions, and when necessary, I have not shied away from having to weigh priorities and make difficult choices.  I welcome thoughtful, respectful debate, making sure we keep our mission always in front of us.

Vote November 5

Your voice counts and your chance to have a say in your schools will be on election day, Tuesday, November 5.  I would be honored to have earned your vote to continue serving as your representative on the ISD 623 Roseville Area School Board.