How it Started...
I was born and raised in Santa Fe and I'm a proud graduate of Santa Fe High. I spent my teenage years working in my mom's restaurant, participating in every extracurricular activity possible and watching high school sports.
After graduating from New Mexico State University with my bachelor's degree in nursing, I moved to Florida to live near the water. I started my nursing career in a busy hospital before finding my passion as an oncology nurse.
It was in Florida that I met my husband and in the summer of 2016, we moved back to New Mexico to raise our kids here because of the natural beauty, the rich culture, and the diversity.
In 2019, I decided to run for the Santa Fe Public Schools Board of Education. There was a vacancy in District 2 and I'd learned a lot about our schools since moving back (with three kids under the age of 10!) I believe that public education is a cornerstone of democracy and worthy of my time and effort. I was elected and my term started in January of 2020. I was re-elected in November of 2023 and it is an honor and a privilege to do that work. I've learned a lot about policy and budget and how crucial it is to make school relevant and engaging for our kids in these changing times.
I might not have been born working hard... but I got started at an early age!
circa 1983
Advocacy is one of my favorite activities.
Nurses spend a lot of time being the voice for the people they care for. Sometimes that means communicating with the care team or navigating a complex system and sometimes it means fighting with insurance companies. I learned how to be persistent and to do what was right for my patients. Then I learned how to advocate in Washington DC to try to change the parts of our medical system that don't work for patients or providers.
That work continues and I'm ready for it!
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