Campaign Platform
Strong Schools
Access to a sound, basic education is fundamental. It's a right guaranteed to every child in North Carolina's constitution and a right I resolutely work to uphold as a member of the New Hanover County School Board and a passionate advocate for public education. For children of all backgrounds, a strong education can lead to many pathways to success -- I am living proof of this fact.
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I not only believe that public education is a public good, but also that a strong school district is a reflection of our values. Funding our schools is an investment in the future of our community -- an investment we must make now. I have and will continue to support working with our school board to help fund public education at an appropriate and fiscally responsible level to ensure that we elevate New Hanover County Schools to one of the top-performing districts in this state.
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My current initiatives are:
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Turnaround Taskforce (Co-Founder) - providing aid to our students and staff at our high priority schools through community involvement and initiatives.
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Mental Health & Behavioral Support - Raising awareness about ACEs, resiliency, and mental health and behavioral needs for our students.
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Early Childhood Education (Pre-K) - Supporting early education for students so they are Kindergarten ready and start on a path for success in life. Currently, the school district's HeadStart Liaison.
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Advocating for Teachers and Staff for classroom support and a livable wage.
Affordable Housing Costs
Following the Smart Growth principle of creating a range of housing opportunities and choices, as a commissioner, I would like to have conversations and work towards solutions to our affordable/workforce housing crisis, like highlighting and promoting the use of inclusionary zoning practices and increasing zoning options. Special accommodations made for workforce housing that may include public, private, and nonprofit partnerships for ways to help with payment assistance, tax incentives, policies, and financing options.
As a commissioner, I will work with other elected bodies and organizations, including the Wilmington City Council, to try and solve the affordable/workforce housing crisis. Our area is growing rapidly, and we need to work together to come up with solutions to ensure that residents can stay here to live and work and who aren't continually being priced out of this community. We MUST explore all options.
Smart Growth Principles
New Hanover County continues to be a hub for new growth and development. Development is an inevitable and necessary driver of our economy, but in order for our schools, roads, and existing infrastructure to support this development, we must follow the principles of Smart Growth (adapted for Coastal Communities).
Smart Growth principles include contingencies for affordable housing, environmental conservation and protection, and development that is considerate of our unique coastal community and infrastructure, such as school capacity, traffic, and quality of life. They are as follows:
Smart Growth Principles for Coastal and Waterfront Communities
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Mix land uses, including water-dependent uses
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​Take advantage of compact community design that enhances, preserves, and provides access to waterfront resources
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Provide a range of housing opportunities and choices to meet the needs of both seasonal and permanent residents
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Create walkable communities with physical and visual access to and along the waterfront for public use
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Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place that capitalizes on the waterfront’s heritage
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Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and the critical environmental areas that characterize and support coastal and waterfront communities
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Strengthen and direct development toward existing communities and encourage waterfront revitalization
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Provide a variety of land- and water-based transportation options
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Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost-effective through consistent policies and coordinated permitting processes
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​Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions, ensuring that public interests in and rights of access to the waterfront and coastal waters are upheld
https://coastalsmartgrowth.noaa.gov/
Photo Credit: Jeffrey Hall
Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability
"We know instinctively that being by water makes us healthier, happier, reduces stress, and brings us peace." - excerpt from the book Blue Mind
We are the second smallest county in the state, and we are growing tremendously. A lot of people move here to be near the ocean, the river, and the interconnected waterways for a better quality of life for themselves and their families.
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As a native, I have seen a great amount of growth over my lifetime. Development has brought us considerable progress, but we are running out of buildable space. We need to find a balance between the growth we are experiencing and responsible development and be cognizant of the many challenges that growth brings, especially for our unique, low-lying coastal area.
For example, our landfill space is limited and we need to come up with long-term plans to address waste. Thought and planning needs to happen for our unique landscapes of low-lands and wetlands, and that also addresses our unique flora and fauna. Additionally, we must be good stewards of our coastal watersheds and aquaculture economy. We are a small but mighty county, and I believe, with the right policies, we can figure out how to grow smartly following the principles of Smart Growth.
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As part of my Master's Degree in Public Administration at the UNCW, I interned with the New Hanover County Environmental Management Division, and I've been to the top of the trash heap! During my time there I worked on the County's first grant for hazardous household waste disposal, surveyed customers at every recycling drop-off center in the county, and helped create a permanent sign for tire recycling. I understand the importance of being a good steward of our delicate coastal community and want to work on ways to improve our existing systems.