Curious?
Voice for Florence
in Goverment
I would like to have deeper conversations & connections among the City, Chamber, Port, Tribal government, nonprofits, educators, workforce partners, and residents about where our economy stands, the dyamamic challenges people & businesses face, and the actions we can realistically take together.
Experienced & Informed
As a small-business owner, I understand that businesses and community involvement are essential to a thriving economy. I manage purchasing, inventory, budgeting, financial reporting, and major spending decisions while operating in a rural coastal community.
Dedicated & Transparent
I will continue strengthening public trust and participation in City government. I support accessible information, meaningful public engagement, and budgets that clearly connect spending to community priorities.
Problem Solver
I will continue to expand housing opportunities for working families, seniors, and essential employees. The City is not in the housing business, but it can reduce barriers, use incentives responsibly, and collaborate with public, nonprofit, and private partners. I have been making progress through housing policies adopted, partnerships formed, infrastructure advanced, and the variety of housing units created.
Trust begins with listening, being honest about what government can and cannot do, and following through. I will not agree with everyone, nor will everyone agree with me, but I ensure people are heard, treated respectfully, and understand how and why decisions are made.
When disagreement occurs, I clarify the issues and look for shared values and understanding. I ask questions, seek information, acknowledge competing needs, and work toward areas of agreement. Accountability means being accessible, explaining reasoning, correcting mistakes, disclosing conflicts, and evaluating decisions and their results.
My work with Siuslaw Vision is an example. The community visioning process brought together residents, businesses, nonprofits, educators, public agencies, and leaders with different priorities and strong viewpoints. As part of this evolving process, helping facilitate conversations that move beyond interests to identify the values connecting us: active, educated, working, creative, happy, and connected people.
This common foundation has helped to move from discussing problems to building partnerships and community-led projects for more than a decade. The experience reinforced my belief that productive leadership is not about winning disagreements. It is about creating enough trust for people to remain at the table, identify shared goals, and take action together.
Florence has an inspiring, supportive business community that understands the importance of shopping small and local and being “FLOcal.” The City builds on that spirit by continually making information, requirements, and guidance easy to understand and access.
I support clear permitting processes, pre-application meetings, online status tracking, timelines, and contacts to help applicants coordinate with City departments. Regulations should protect health & safety, infrastructure, neighborhoods, and the environment without creating unnecessary delays or confusion. Staff can help applicants navigate state and industry requirements integrated into City processes.
Fees should remain transparent and reviewed annually. Because fees recover service costs, reducing them means taxpayers or another revenue source must cover the difference. Targeted incentives, partnerships, or grants may be appropriate when they produce measurable community benefits.
Economic development must include more than recruiting new businesses. We must retain and help existing businesses expand while investing in housing, childcare, education, workforce development, utilities, transportation, and connectivity.
I support business surveys, outreach, and partnerships with the Chamber, Lane Small Business Development Center, RAIN, regional agencies, and employers. Economic development works best when people participate, listen, communicate clearly, and stay connected. When we treat economic development as a team effort, our community thrives.
Tourism is one of Florence’s economic foundations, supporting businesses, jobs, events, and public services. I want to continue strengthening tourism by encouraging year-round and shoulder-season visitation, promoting locally owned businesses, and investing in experiences that reflect Florence’s dynamic character…our Siuslaw River, dunes, arts, history, unique events, and outdoor recreation.
Growth must also protect livability. Tourism planning should consider traffic, parking, utilities, housing, public safety, sanitation, environmental stewardship, and neighborhood impacts. Residents should benefit through improved public spaces, trails, events, facilities, and infrastructure they can enjoy year-round.
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Transient Lodging Tax revenue should be used transparently, consistently with Oregon law, and strategically to generate overnight stays and visitor spending. Tourism funding should favor investments with clear goals, realistic budgets, strong partnerships, and benefits extending to Florence residents. I support collaboration with the Chamber, lodging operators, businesses, nonprofits, and regional tourism partners while ensuring public accountability.
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We should also evaluate tourism’s public costs. Investments should continue when they demonstrate value and be adjusted when needed. A successful visitor economy should strengthen, not diminish, the community residents call home.
As a small-business owner, I understand that businesses and community involvement are essential to a thriving economy. I manage purchasing, inventory, budgeting, financial reporting, and major spending decisions while operating in a rural coastal community.
My Florence civic service began with Siuslaw Vision and as a charter member of the City of Florence Public Arts Committee. I have since serve/d on the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce Board, nonprofit boards, and community projects.
I serve as Florence City Council Vice President, on the City Budget Committee, and as Chair of the Oregon Coastal Zone Management Association. I also chaired the Transportation System Plan project.
While attending university, I worked as a Grants Program Administrator. I later administered university MD/PhD programs supported by National Institutes of Health grants. These roles required documentation, financial reporting, and stewardship of millions of dollars in taxpayer and private funding.
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These experiences have taught me to listen, collaborate, plan responsibly, and balance community needs with financial realities. They have prepared me to make informed, transparent decisions and steward public resources as a Florence City Councilor.
This fall’s in-depth review of City departments, processes, systems, and financial stewardship will identify strengths, needs, and spending, helping us improve services and leverage investments within a balanced budget.
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My first priority is protecting essential services and infrastructure: streets, water and wastewater systems, emergency preparedness, and public safety. I prioritize maintenance before replacement while pursuing infrastructure and resilience grants. Value should be measured through project completion, service reliability, and cost savings.
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Second, I will continue investing in housing and economic vitality. Florence needs various housing types and an environment where businesses can succeed. Continuing to pursue housing and economic-development grants, public-private partnerships, and targeted infrastructure improvements. Results should include housing enabled, businesses retained/opened, jobs supported, and outside funding secured.
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Third, investing in community assets that strengthen quality of life and our visitor economy, including mobility options, parks, trails, arts, and public spaces. Funding should combine grants, partnerships, sponsorships, and dedicated revenues. Success should be measured through usage, safety, project delivery, participation, and economic impact.
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Every investment involves tradeoffs. Seeking grants, partnerships, efficiencies, and responsible reallocations before seeking new revenue. Proposals should identify long-term operating costs, measurable outcomes, public input, and reporting.
My first priority is responsible growth that supports local businesses and broadens Florence’s economic opportunities. I have advocated, and will continue advocating, for clear development processes, strategic infrastructure investments, and partnerships that strengthen year-round employment. Progress should be measured through City work-plan and budget projects, business retention and development activity, outside funding secured, and public reporting.
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Second, I will continue to expand housing opportunities for working families, seniors, and essential employees. The City is not in the housing business, but it can reduce barriers, use incentives responsibly, and collaborate with public, nonprofit, and private partners. Residents should measure progress through housing policies adopted, partnerships formed, infrastructure advanced, and the variety of housing units approved or created.
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Third, I will continue strengthening public trust and participation in City government. I support accessible information, meaningful public engagement, and budgets that clearly connect spending to community priorities. Progress should be visible through project updates, understandable financial reporting, participation in meetings and committees, and documented follow-through on Council goals.
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These priorities are connected: Florence needs housing, infrastructure, and transparent leadership to sustain its workforce, businesses, and quality of life. I bring experience, collaboration, and careful financial stewardship to turn shared goals into measurable results.
As a working parent and sole income provider for my family, I understand how childcare costs, limited availability, and scheduling challenges affect families. Childcare is not only a family issue; it is essential economic infrastructure influencing whether parents can work and businesses can recruit and retain employees.
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The City should not operate childcare programs itself, but it can be an effective partner. My continued support of the Siuslaw Child Care Working Group demonstrates the value of bringing providers, families, employers, nonprofits, and public agencies together to develop solutions.
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During my Council term, Florence has promoted educational opportunities and reviewed, developed, and enacted code providing safe, streamlined pathways for childcare centers and licensed home-based providers to open or expand. The City can also help identify suitable properties, pursue outside grants, support infrastructure needs, and partner with employers and organizations on facilities, workforce development, extended-hour care, and provider retention.
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Reducing barriers and expanding capacity will require sustained collaboration. I will continue supporting partnerships that give providers the resources to succeed and Florence families greater access to dependable, affordable childcare and learning opportunities.
Public safety and compassion are not competing values. Florence should continue to enforce laws consistently, address threatening or destructive behavior promptly, and protect public spaces, businesses, residents, and visitors. At the same time, homelessness, addiction, and mental-health challenges cannot be solved by policing alone.
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I support community-based policing, officer training and staffing, and stronger coordination among Florence Police, Lane County, the State of Oregon, emergency responders, outreach organizations, healthcare providers, and recovery services. Medical and behavioral-health professionals should assist when appropriate, allowing officers to focus on crime and immediate safety threats. I will continue advocating for accessible medical, dental, behavioral-health, and crisis services in western Lane County.
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For homelessness, I support coordinated outreach, healthcare and housing navigation, emergency shelter, sanitation, pathways into stable housing, and employment opportunities. Expectations for lawful behavior must remain clear, with due process and respect for individual rights.
We must continually evaluate our approach, invest in programs that demonstrate results, and strengthen county, state, nonprofit, healthcare, and community partnerships. Florence cannot address these complex challenges alone.
The Chamber champions local businesses and serves as a tourism and marketing partner for the City. Leveraging this partnership allows Florence to extend the value of public dollars, strengthen our visitor economy, and present a consistent message about Florence as Oregon’s Coastal Playground.
As an elected official, I maintain open communication with Chamber leadership and members while ensuring public investments have clear goals, measurable outcomes, and broad community benefits. I encourage businesses to actively participate, support one another, share resources, and promote the experiences that make Florence distinctive.
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I also want deeper conversations among the City, Chamber, Port, Tribal government, nonprofits, educators, workforce partners, and residents about where our economy stands, the challenges businesses face, and the actions we can realistically take together. This includes addressing housing, childcare/early learning, workforce development, infrastructure, permitting, and year-round economic opportunities.
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Economies naturally ebb and “FLO,” but our coastal community can thrive by being both pragmatic and creative. Through collaboration, action, and example, Florence can support local businesses, attract visitors and investment, and preserve the character that makes our community special.