I have had the good fortune to live in many communities around the state, graduating from high school in Payson and Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.  We currently live part-time in Prescott.  This has given me an appreciation of the concerns rural Arizonans have regarding both the ability to preserve and yet use our public lands for hunting, fishing, hiking, etc.  Families living in rural communities depend on public lands in ways that urban communities do not.  Conservation of public lands is very important to me, along with our ability as Arizonans to continue to enjoy and benefit from them, while ensuring clean air and water, along with knowledgeable wildlife and forest management. 
 
I first became actively involved in the Democratic Party during the Kerry campaign, in 2004.  I worked phone banks and did many door-to-door neighborhood walks during that campaign.  Despite having lost the presidential election, I felt that I could no longer afford to sit back and wait for change in our government to just "happen."  I needed to commit myself to contributing to that effort.  I was appointed a PC to the Monte Cristo Precinct that December, and then the following year, became an elected PC.  I am also currently serving as a member of the State Committee.  I have appreciated that opportunity to attend each quarterly meeting and listen and talk with other committed Democrats and state leaders working for change.  It is inspiring to be surrounded with so many talented people who give of themselves, and who get very little in return except to know that they are participating in the political process.  It's not glamorous and is a lot like "making sausage" -- not necessarily pretty, but it's work that needs to be done.  This year was particularly exciting in that we were responsible for electing Arizona's delegates to the National Convention.  That's an activity where you can appreciate the impact of your efforts on serving with the Committee.  The current election cycle is presenting new opportunities for me to offer time and help to ongoing campaigns and I remain committed to seeing more Democrats elected in Arizona, so we can see some better education and healthcare initiatives, and a bigger focus on the environment.
 
My husband of 27 years, recently retired as a hydrologist, working for the State of Arizona.  We have one child, who is finishing his senior year at North Canyon High School, and who just became a semi-finalist in the National Merit Scholarship program.  Even better, he also decided to become a poll worker for our precinct during this month's primary election, and again during the general election in November.  I am currently employed as a IT project manager for a local utility company, coordinating a team that provides software configuration management and quality assurance services.  I've spent several years working directly with business customers to understand their technical needs and provide solutions, so I was very excited to be able to volunteer to work on the redesign of our current D6 web site.  I'm hopeful that our prior good content is now packaged even better and puts District 6's best face forward, providing valuable information and services to our Democratic voters.