Vision - Platform and Experience

I have 10 years of board and council experience with state agencies, non-profits, and grassroots organizations.

As an active member of the Baltimore City Department of Plannings’ Climate Action Plan Advisory Board and a civil servant for the last 20 years.

I believe in democratizing processes to allow for participation from the general public. I developed these skills because I have been on the receiving end of many services and programs.

My lived experience informs how I focus on ensuring that policy does not harm the most vulnerable populations. I believe investing in those who need the most resources results in better outcomes for everyone.

Safe School Buildings - We also need smaller classroom sizes at many schools. I believe we need to change the enrollment metrics to accommodate students. We need more individualized attention for every student to fix the knowledge gap. Most importantly, we need to address the issues of safety in our schools.

Free School-Based Wellness Centers and Nurses In Every School - We have to make mental health, medical care, wrap around service information, and other resources available to all students and their families. I will advocate and help coordinate 3 key partners to make this a reality. I attended a school that had a comprehensive model that cared for the most vulnerable in the student population.

Centering Student Voices - I will support the views of the Student Board member, who I believe should have full voting rights. They are the subject matter experts of schools and we should listen to their input in order to better serve them. We also need to create an environment where any student knows they can give feedback or even testify to the board.

Parent and Community Engagement - Many families I met feel disconnected from their school, and sometimes do not feel welcome in the building. There is a need for the system to build relationships with the communities they serve. I know many parents who have moved or decided to homeschool their kids because they were not seeing results despite their efforts.

Outreach - My philosophy is, if there is low parent/guardian turnout it is usually because people aren't being met where they are. We need to use all forms of communication, allow more time for feedback, and visit every school. Most importantly, we need to listen to the concerns. Critique is a healthy process and necessary for growth. If people are not heard and their needs are not being met, they disengage.

Teacher Retention - Teachers carry one of the biggest responsibilities in our society, educating our future. Teacher salaries need to reflect their true value. We need to make sure they are working in safe environments, with manageable classroom sizes where they feel supported.

Proper Data Collection - All decision making metrics should be public and easily accessible. This includes public surveying. There should be outreach to every community in Baltimore and enough time for everyone to participate.

Revive PTOs & PTAs - Encourage and eliminate barriers for parent teacher associations & organizations to start, grow, and get involved in decision making processes. There are only a handful of active organizations left in Baltimore and the PTA Council of Baltimore City is inactive.

Multilingual Support - Increase pathways for training and certification for multilingual para-educators, so our growing immigrant student population is seen, heard, and reflected more fully.

Equitable Resource Distribution - We need to make sure every school in Baltimore has the resources they need every year for every student, regardless of enrollment numbers.

Accessibility – We need to create an inclusive learning environment for children with differences to thrive and produce a system that is easy to navigate for families.

Embrace the Arts and Vocational Schools - We need to provide artistic and recreational experiences outside the traditional classroom, while also creating pathways to vocational careers.

Environmentally Conscious Infrastructure - As new schools are being developed, I believe it's important for the buildings to be energy efficient, free from toxins, and that the construction supports the future of green union made infrastructure.

Preventing Permanent School Closures - Closing schools should be a last resort. There should also be extra attention and resources given to schools from the administration. We also need a transparent, equitable, and inclusive review process. The community should be allowed to give input on all school closures before a decision is made.

Morale - Baltimore City Public Schools are often politicized and criticized. Some critiques are valid. If we use the future funding correctly, there will be a day where everyone from every school is proud to be a product of Baltimore City Public Schools.

I have a Bachelors Degree in Software Development & Security from University of Maryland Global Campus. I have been a civil servant for 20 years. I worked work for Department of Human Services for 11 years. I now work as a front-end developer for a tech consulting company.