My Story

As the daughter of a Naval officer, I lived in many different places, not really having a hometown.  We came to Illinois when my father was transferred to Great Lakes Naval Training Center after my high school graduation.  I chose to attend college in Illinois and got to know Arlington Heights through college friends.  I knew Arlington Heights had a great reputation even then, so after graduation and a year in Chicago, I moved to Arlington Heights and have been here ever since.  Arlington Heights became my hometown.

In 1980, my husband, Gary, and I moved to a house on Fremont Street near the library, allowing us to walk to the train station to commute to work, and where we still live.  When we first moved in, the downtown was tired and aging, but thanks to the forward-thinking vision of previous leaders change began to happen, although not without controversy.  Now, our downtown is a vibrant destination with shopping, restaurant, and entertainment options that other communities try to emulate, and neighborhoods both north and south of the railroad tracks are thriving.

Watching the downtown transform sparked my interest in civic affairs, and I have been actively involved for over 30 years.  During this time, many people have told me that they are happy to live here, and that Arlington Heights is a great place in which to live, work, play and raise a family.  But they also have many concerns, such as property taxes, aging infrastructure, flooding problems, business growth and retention, downtown parking, and most recently, the potential redevelopment of Arlington Park into an NFL stadium.  I share these concerns.

I have been a Village Trustee since 2013, but I have been involved in the community for many years. I bring thoughtful and experienced leadership to the Board and am proud of the things we have been able to accomplish.  I am knowledgeable and informed about the issues, am out and about in the community, and welcome citizen involvement.  I am proud of my long record of service to the residents of Arlington Heights, and am running for re-election to continue that service.

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Personal and Professional Summary

I have a BA in Political Science from Rockford College, now Rockford University, and an MBA from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg School of Business.  I work as a human resource professional.

Gary and I have two grown children, Laura and Steven, who attended Olive-Mary Stitt Elementary School, Thomas Middle School, and John Hersey High School. They now live in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, respectively, but Arlington Heights is still home.