I want the best for Meridian.  My former husband and still good friend, Doug, and I chose to make Meridian our home 27 years ago. We have owned several businesses since then, including a manufacturing business and a fitness studio. And we still own a company based out of Meridian and operates in eight states.

My passion for this community runs deep. For example, for six years, I served as President / CEO of the Meridian Chamber of Commerce, leading the effort to grow the Chamber membership by a significant number. As Chamber president, I was proud to help our Meridian businesses grow. I represented them by representing the business community in economic development issues and dealing with government agencies.  I was also instrumental in getting the Young Entrepreneur’s Academy started at the Chamber. This program teaches teens how to turn an idea for a business into an actual company, and in that program, more than 30 of our area’s youth have done just that!

I was also President of the Idaho Chamber Alliance, working closely with chambers throughout Idaho. As president of that organization, I spearheaded the successful effort to direct workforce training funds to career technical education, and many Meridian businesses directly benefited from people receiving much-needed training.

I served on the Meridian City Council (2016-2019), where I learned how to get things done in our city’s government.  As a council member, I have been instrumental in our successful economic planning and planning for safety issues in our growing community. Having worked closely with our police, fire, public works, and parks and recreation departments, I’ve learned firsthand the needs of these organizations. I have a good sense of how to keep our community connected and moving forward.

Additionally, I have an extensive background working with our community’s nonprofits. This includes serving six years on the Idaho Nonprofit Center Board, during which “Idaho Gives” Day was started.  Idaho Gives has just completed its eleventh year and has raised more than $10.3 million for Idaho’s nonprofit organizations.  I also helped create a successful nonprofit, House of Hope, that became Housing+ High School = Success,  here in Meridian.

I graduated from Boise State University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a minor in Human Resources. I have my IOM certification from the Institute for Organizational Management through the United States Chamber of Commerce.

On a personal note, I love to golf – especially with my son, Nick, - and I thoroughly enjoy being outside in our city’s beautiful parks.