BACKGROUND

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 I was raised by educators. My mother a teacher and reading specialist my father an administrator. He served Bedford for 30 years as a principal at Memorial, Peter Woodbury and Mckelvie. The people I love the most have dedicated their lives to Bedford Public Education and building educational excellence in the school. I am a product of the Bedford School System attending Bedford schools first grade through eighth grade. I am the mother of three children ages 20, 18 and 15. My oldest is in college and my younger two attend Bedford High School. I have firsthand experience being a parent at the elementary, intermediate, middle, and high school levels. 

I started out my professional career as a paraprofessional and moved on to become a classroom teacher. I know how hard good paraprofessionals and teacher’s work; I have been in both positions. I understand why teachers leave teaching; I am the statistic. I can honestly say the days I worked as a teacher were some of the hardest days I have ever worked.  Since leaving teaching, I have spent the past twenty plus years in the field of Information Technology. 

Throughout my IT career I have been responsible for managing budgets and projects. I have held leadership roles with the Boston Red Sox and Major League Baseball. During my ten-year role at the Boston Red Sox, I was responsible for both baseball and business data including financial reporting.  During my tenure I collaborated with the financial team to streamline the budget process and developed analytical reporting to support budgetary decisions. I was responsible for the IT budget. 

Currently, as an Independent IT Consultant I help organizations understand how to use their financial and customer data to optimize their business to make data driven decisions.  I have been blessed to work for leaders who believe in leading with intent.  I understand being a good communicator is about how well you're able to listen.  A good listener wants to hear what the other party is saying, so their response has focus and purpose. I believe the most important leadership skills I bring to the table are the ability to communicate, listen, motivate, adapt, empathize, collaborate, and the ability to think out of the box.

Like everyone running, I want to make a difference. I am no stranger to the school board. I have spoken to the board several times about equitable education. Equitable education does not mean equal it means meeting the needs. Students learn at different rates, just as they grow at different rates. For the past four and a half years I been advocating for reassessments at the high school. Last year after four and a half years of advocating, the high school is now embracing reassessments. I was thrilled to see student leaders from the high school speaking before the board and expressing their gratitude for the new reassessment policies. That’s leadership…. Believing in something that can make a difference and continuing to go back to the table when you are told no.

 Leadership and School Board members are critical advocates for putting out the message that we care about public education. School board members are just as responsible for climate and culture as administrators in this district. I believe I understand the Bedford Community. My goal is to bring the community and the school district back together by building positive, trusting relationships. 

We have so much positive happening in our schools. I believe that all students can achieve high levels, and I want every student and family to have a great school experience.  I am all about accountability and being data driven. I am not afraid to ask hard questions and work toward continued improvement. We as a district should be embracing that.  I will represent the community, not a single constituency. I understand being a board member means serving in the trust for the entire community. I believe my skills and experience will assist the current school board in reaching its district goals. Serving in this capacity would allow me to advocate for excellence in education always putting the interest of Bedford students first. I am humbled by this opportunity,