As a mom of four, a former COCC instructor and administrator, a small business owner and a 19-year resident of Central Oregon--I'm passionate about the life-changing value of higher education for my kids and my neighbors in COCC's Zone 7.  

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Our family loves our semi-rural lifestyle in Deschutes River Woods. Chopping wood as a family for the wood stove. Fresh air. Lots of room for dogs. Tons of privacy. Our place feels a lot like where I'm from in Anchorage, Alaska. 

 

But living out of town presents challenges, too. Transit is virtually non-existent. Broadband isn't always reliable. And accessing higher education is difficult for many of our neighbors throughout southern Deschutes and northern Klamath Counties. 

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I'm running for the COCC board of directors because I want to expand opportunities and remove barriers for rural Oregonians to access higher education---both in-person and right in their own homes. ​

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From business classes, to trade apprenticeships to technical certificates, COCC is one of the most powerful opportunities people in our district have for transforming their lives--and one of the most important partners in economic development and job creation in rural communities. These outcomes benefit all of us.