I was raised in Hampton Bays, went to college in Florida where I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Air Commerce Flight Technology, then came back to New York to work for the Port Authority of NY and NJ. I worked as an airport engineer, designing runway and taxiway lighting for JFK, LGA and Newark airports.

After 9/11, my husband and I decided that I would stop commuting, raise our daughter and work as a partner in the family owned commercial fishing business.

I became involved in our community, building playgrounds, addressing sex offender issues, and helping local families in need. It was then that I began my path to public service. I was elected to the Southampton Town Council in January 2016. In my 20 months in office, I have been involved in many issues and projects. I spearheaded the repair of a stairway, so that residents would again have access to a local beach. I worked with the community to clean up a rest stop that was being used as a dumping ground. I also enjoy working with local organizations, such as the Surfrider Foundation, who do such a great job educating the public about clean water, as well as actually cleaning up our beaches and bays. I voted to repeal the Planned Development District (PDD) law, which I felt veered from its intended purpose, and morphed into a “trade off for project approval”.

I facilitated a compromise between the community and a developer of affordable housing units, so that we could move forward with a project to bring housing opportunities to our Town. I also organized a Housing Opportunity think tank, made up of residents both east and west of the canal, who understand our need for more attainable housing, and will work towards solutions that work for our specific hamlets. I voted to hire a new Director of Housing to help with this critical issue. I also voted to hire a Director of Public Safety, who will work as our code enforcement department’s administrator, to address quality of life issues that are so important to our residents. We also hired a very experienced Police Chief, and have seen a drop in crime of 13% Townwide. We implemented a tax rate decrease, addressed facility improvements and infrastructure, while at the same time, received AAA bond ratings from Moody’s and Standard and Poors.

I will protect our environment. As a partner in my family owned commercial fishing business, I understand the importance of clean water. I support improving our septic systems, and we have put a rebate program in place to do just that. We have mandated advanced septics for new construction and in sensitive locations. These actions will help us address the pollution of our waters. The environment is the engine which drives our economy. If we lose our waters, we lose everything we love about this place.

I have been honored to serve the community, and look forward to continuing to do so.