Hello!
I have been a proud resident of Burlington's Old North End (Chittenden 17 district) for 14 years, and my wife, children, and I are intertwined with this vibrant community in many ways.
I am a small business owner and have run my architectural practice for 11 years with a mission to make design services affordable and accessible to homeowners and businesses. I work hard to provide guidance and consumer protection to my clients. Together, we navigate complex projects that improve their environments and make their dreams a reality.
Running for and holding a political office is a difficult task, but I am committed and persistent. As a woman and a working parent, I am no stranger to overcoming challenges. Astonishingly, fewer than 20 of Vermont’s 150 state representatives have children younger than 18, which means that the issues most important to Vermont’s working families – including my own – are not prioritized. The repercussions of this missing representation are far-reaching and long-lasting.
We need legislators who act with urgency and know that universal paid family leave, affordable housing, fair wages, workplace rights, climate change, and gun reform are a matter of survival. I will be that legislator.
About
I grew up on a small, second-generation farm in Western Massachusetts and learned from an early age how much physical work, ingenuity, and dedication is required to maintain a family farm. In 2000, I moved to Vermont to pursue a career in architecture. Vermont has been good to me – in 2012, I married my wonderful wife, and in 2013, I became a parent and started my own business.
In starting my architectural practice, Hinge Inc., I relied on state safety net services to build my business from the ground up while raising my young family. A cornerstone of my business approach is to make design services approachable and affordable for everyone. This commitment to fostering inclusion and access is rooted in my experiences as a queer person, and as a woman in a male-dominated field. I know how important it is to be seen, heard, and valued, and I know what it takes to persist and thrive in spaces not designed for me.
I firmly believe the best solutions come from inviting everyone to the table and empowering my clients by valuing their input throughout the design process, and I see this political office as no different. I am also excited about the opportunity to bring my unique skill set into the State House, drawing on my experience to propose reasonable and practical solutions to the issues facing our community.
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DIGNITY & SAFETY
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Partner with local agencies, community groups, police, and fire, to foster community safety
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Support all community members to meet their universal basic needs and to feel safe
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Identify barriers to getting healthcare, childcare, and other essential services.
EQUITY, BELONGING & JUSTICE
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Work towards our common goal of a thriving Burlington for All with mutual respect, compassion, and empathy
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Address inequity in our systems to support low-wage workers, promote the rights of marginalized communities, and respond to climate change and environmental injustices
AFFORDABILITY
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Prioritize actions to make Burlington affordable for people of all backgrounds, for young families, and for businesses
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Support small businesses, increase affordable housing, and protect residents from the rising costs of healthcare, childcare, and other living expenses
Endorsements
Supporters
Linda Ayer, Ward 7
Eugene Bergman, City Councilor, Ward 2
Rachel Buckner, Clinical Social Work/Therapist, Ward 2 Renter
Stephon Boatwright, A.Professor Political Science SMC Ward 4
Eva Boatwright, Ward 4
Dot Commo, Ward 2
Susan Cline-Lucy, Director and Co-Founder Evolution, Ward 2
Trisha Denton, Ward 2
Ali & Shawn Dumont, Parents
Lauren Ebersol, Ward 4
Jennifer Ely, Ward 7
Marla Emery, Ward 4
Catherine Emil, Director at VT Wood Working School, Ward 2
Patricia Ferreira, Clay artist, Ward 2
Jules Fishelman, Parent, Ward 2
Ben Fishbein, PM Intervale Conservation Nursery, Ward 2
Erica Giannone, BSD Paraeducator, Parent, Ward 2
Lucy Gluck, Housing Navigator COTS, Ward 2
Steve Goodkind, Ward 7
Melo Grant, City Councilor for Central
Sharyl Green
Abby Grimm, Graduate Student, Ward 2
Logan Harris, Development Design Engineer, Ward 2, Renter
Monika Ivancic, Ward 7 School Commissioner
Peter Jacobsen, Ward 2
Joe Kane, City Councilor for Ward 3
Jess Kell, Parent, Ward 2
Annie Lawson, Social Worker, Parent
Marielle Mathews and Devin Farkas, Parents, Ward 2
Keller McKenzie, Ward 3
Rick Morris, Ward 7
Carter Neubieser, City Councilor, Ward 1
Megan Peek, Director of Community Outreach BCBSVT, Ward 2
Carol Pfeiffer, Ward 2
Barb Prine, VT Legal Aid Attorney, Ward 2
Bailey Rowland, Ward 4
Justine Sears, Public Works Commissioner, parent, Ward 2
Kate Seitz, Teacher, Ward 2
Leeanne Siart, Ward 4
Cedar Schiewetz, Nutrition Prgm Manager VGN, Ward 2 Renter
David Steinmetz, Ward 4
Eric Svensson, Ward 4
Todd and Alicia Taylor, Ward 3
Linnie Trimmer, CRM Manager, Ward 2, Renter
Stuart Weiss, Former UVM professor, Ward 3
Melinda White-Bronson, Ward 2