City Council > Meet the Council

Biography

Education

• B.A. in Psychology with emphasis in Early Childhood Education – University of California at Berkeley (1977)
• Professional Teaching Certificate – Montana State University (1978)
• NYSE Series 7, 65, 66 Exam – Washington University St. Louis (1986)

Elected Experience:

• Council Member – City of Poulsbo (1998-Current)
• President – Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) Federal Economic Development District Board (2013-2016)
• President – Association of Washington Cities (AWC) Board of Directors (2019-2020)
• Deputy Mayor – City of Poulsbo (2024 – Current)

Professional Experience

• Diagnostic Evaluator – Livingston Montana School District (1977-78)
• Director of Grants, Community Development Director, Assistant to the Mayor – City of Livingston, Montana (1978-1986)
• Private Sector career in the financial industry as a Investment Advisor (1986-2019)

Community and Volunteer Experience:

• Poulsbo/North Kitsap Rotary Club (1986-present) – Board of Directors (1990-1991)
• Kitsap Economic Development Alliance -Board Member (1987-present)
• Corporate Advisory Board – Martha and Mary (1988-1990)
• Planning Commissioner – City of Poulsbo (1990-1991)
• NK Advisory Board – Olympic College (1988-1993)
• Capital Facilities Advisory Committee – North Kitsap School District (NKSD) (2001-2003)
• Board of my Congregation

Awards:

• Governors Awards for Historic Preservation – Helena, Montana (1980 and 1982)
• American Public Power Association: Energy Innovator Award “First Municipal Wind Farm Development in U.S.A.” Washington D.C. (1981-1984)
• National Trust for Historic Preservation Award: First Multiple Resource District Nomination in U.S. – Washington D.C. (1982)
• Montana JayCee’s – Person of the Year Award (1985)
• Kitsap County/Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce – Community Builders Award (2002)
• Puget Sound Regional Council’s – Vision 2040 Award for State/Kitsap Telework Pilot Project (2009)
• Kitsap Economic Development Alliance – Kitsap County Economic Development Champion (2013)

I am serving my seventh consecutive term on the Poulsbo City Council. In January 2024 I was elected unanimously to be Deputy Mayor.

My professional background, I started after college as a teacher in Special Education in Montana. I then changed careers to be community development Director for the City of Livingston Montana  (1978-1986), before finally moving to Poulsbo in 1986 and becoming a Financial Advisor and managed over time for three different brokerage offices here before retiring in 2019.

In terms of public service, I have sat on the Board of the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) from 1987 to present.  I chaired for KEDA the immensely productive Regional Telecommunications Committee, when the work shifted over the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council where I have co-chaired its Broadband Task Force. I served on the Kitsap County Commissioners appointed Base Reduction and Closure Committee (BRAC) to help safeguard our very important military bases, which we accomplished. Appointed by the Washington State Legislature to the ‘High-Speed Internet Strategy Working Group’ in Olympia in 2008. I was elected to serve the 281 city-member Association of Washington Cities (AWC) Board of Directors and also served as president for the AWC in Olympia. I also serve on the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC), in Seattle, as past-president and current board member representing Kitsap cities for the Federal Economic Development District.

In 2020 Governor Inslee appointed me to the State Public Works Board, where I currently chair the Broadband Committee.