Representative, Kansas State House of Representatives, District 88, 2017-2021

Candidate, Kansas State House of Representatives, District 88, 2018, 2020

Candidate, Kansas State Senate, District 30, 2008

Candidate, Kansas House of Representatives, District 87, 1998, 2000

Former Member, Insurance Committee, Kansas State House of Representatives

Former Member, Judiciary Committee, Kansas State House of Representatives

Executive Director, Wichita Independent Neighborhoods, Incorporated, 1995-1998

Staff Assistant, City Manager's Office, Wichita, 1992-1995

Assistant Director, Sedgwick County Department on Aging, 1987-1991

District Aide, Office of Congressman Dan Glickman, 1978-1987

Executive Committee, Southwind Group of Kansas Sierra Club, 2006-present

Member, Visioneering Regional Recreation Leadership Team, 2006-present

Member, City Manager's Air Quality Improvement Task Force, 2005-present

Member, Wichita Metro League of Women Voters, 2000-present

Member, Advisory Board, Sedgwick County Community Corrections, present

Member, Advisory Committee, Sedgwick County Solid Waste Management, present

Member, Board of Directors, ICTrees, present

Volunteer Reading Tutor, Caldwell School

Member, Wichita-Sedgwick County Alternative Correctional Housing Task Force

Former Board Member, Young Women's Christian Association Women's Crisis Center

Member, Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, 2002-2008

Chair, Advisory Board, Regional Pathways Plan, 2006

Member, Community Corrections Advisory Board, 1995-1999

Member, Train Traffic Mitigation Task Force, 1995

Hobbies or Special Talents:

In my spare time I am an avid gardener. I also enjoy hiking and camping with family, reading,
Volunteering on Extension Master Gardener Hotline;
Heading up tree replacement project in neighborhood;
Recycling and other sustainability projects;
Working with neighborhood associations;
Spending time with grandchildren.

Reason for Seeking Public Office:

When I was a girl growing up in America, we moved often…keeping up with my father's career in the Air Force. Once, I sat down and tallied up all the moves and discovered that in 12 years of schooling I had attended 14 separate schools.

A benefit of these frequent moves was the opportunity to explore the diversity of America and our people. For instance I started school in southern California, where my classmates were, Filipino, Japanese, Hispanic, Black and Mennonite.

Then with moves to Texas, New Mexico, Washington state, Missouri, and Virginia I was exposed to many versions of American history and culture. As I studied the foundations of our government, two key elements stood out to me. One is that the founders exhibited genius in creating such a solid, resilient, profound and unique structure for self-government. The other element that did not escape my attention is that there--at least at first--did not appear to be any place for my gender. Minority races and women were not included in full citizenship. But, again, the genius of our government is the provision for making needed changes. Not speedy by any means. Many of the women who worked so hard for women's suffrage did not live long enough to exercise their rights to participate fully in our self-governing processes.

One main value I learned is that the success of this wonderful democratic approach is a reliance on the willingness of citizens to engage and participate. I decided at an early age that I would never miss a vote, and would participate fully in the public discourse that leads to public policy.

Accordingly, I have paid close attention to public policy established by our current Kansas Legislature and have concluded it is the worst in Kansas history. Under the leadership of Governor Brownback the Kansas legislature has taken us down the path of discredited "trickle-down" economics and left the state in the worst condition in generations.

The current legislature has proved itself hostile to public education, to important policy protecting and sustaining our environment and to treating all Kansans fairly. Current legislators have bowed to the dictates of extreme rightwing organizations like ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council). They have lost touch with the citizens they purport to represent.