I am a retired career teacher, with 32 years experience with junior and senior high school students. As a teacher, I became increasingly interested in the effect of public policy on the work I did in my classroom and its effect on my students, their learning, and their families. I also realized that my interest in civics was in great contrast to that of almost all of my students and their families. When I retired, I was elected to the Utah House of Representatives, where I work to advance support and interest in civics and civics education.

I live in and represent the north area of West Valley City and taught at nearby Cyprus High School in Magna. My personal education background includes a B.S. degree in education from Utah State University and an M.A. Degree in Language Acquisition from the University of Utah. I am a sixth generation Utah white person, with roots in Sanpete County and with growing appreciation for the real Utah natives whose ancestral lands we occupy.