More than ever, East Lyme needs a First Selectman with leadership and vision to ensure the very special quality of life we all enjoy here. I am ready to take on this task and the work of this important office. Through my years of service as a public official in Town and my work as an attorney, I acquired the knowledge and demonstrated the skills necessary to effectively fulfill the duties of the First Selectman. Importantly, I have consistently worked with others of different parties and backgrounds to problem-solve, make difficult decisions, and get results.

As Deputy First Selectman from 2021-2023, I worked closely with First Selectman Seery and directly learned the responsibilities of his office. I also took on special leadership roles, including serving as Chair of the ARP Subcommittee that determined the distribution of millions of dollars in Covid relief funding. Further, my Selectman duties as Ex-Officio to the Library Board of Trustees, Water and Sewer Commission, and Town Building Committee added significantly to my knowledge of the Town’s operations and issues. In later 2023 I took on another key leadership role as Co-Chair of the Short-Term Rental Committee. Although I lost my bid for First Selectman in 2023 (by 93 votes), I nevertheless committed to continuing serving the Town as Co-Chair of this Committee that produced comprehensive policy recommendations.

From 2017-2021, I served as a member of the Town’s Board of Finance, having oversight of our annual budgets and other financial matters. Here I also undertook critical leadership positions, including the writing of a Town Purchasing Policy as well as design and budget review on the Public Safety Building Subcommittee.

My past work as an attorney laid a solid foundation for my public service. I served as Counsel for the Connecticut municipalities of Milford and Greenwich. I also worked as an attorney negotiating and drafting large scale contracts at the Smithsonian. A portion of my work there led me to subsequently Chair the Intellectual Property Section of the Connecticut Bar Association.

Born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, I graduated from Stanford University in California and the University of Connecticut School of Law. Good fortune brought my husband, Fred, and me to East Lyme more than three decades ago to settle and raise our family, and Fred was able to open his pediatric practice in Town. Our two children, Thomas and Victoria, graduated from the East Lyme school system and are now enjoying careers in law and finance, respectively.

In my free time, I enjoy teaching and playing tennis, walking our dog Kaiya, volunteering at American Legion, visiting museums, and following developments at all levels of government. 

Looking forward, our Town can get back on a positive path if we address public safety challenges, taxes and better budgeting, excellence in public education, land use concerns, ethics education, as well as greater transparency and public engagement. I hope to use my skills and experience to accomplish this work and have East Lyme flourish.