I am a two-time startup founder whose advocacy work bolsters local communities through supporting working parents, families with young children, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. My first startup, Work and Play, was among the first coworking spaces in the world to also house a licensed childcare program. We were open for five years in South Orange before closing due to the pandemic. My subsequent start-up, the General Store Cooperative (GSC), incubates mission-based brands and artisans at our flagship co-retail storefront on Springfield Avenue, Maplewood.

I am also a communications professional, with more than 15 years of marketing experience in the kids and family segment. I am a freelance writer and local marketing specialist, and in 2020, at the start of the pandemic, I created an online forum to advocate and lobby for small business relief and to provide a space for business owners to share resources during the shutdown. The group, which grew to more than 1,700 members from New Jersey and across the nation, assisted business owners and independent contractors in understanding and navigating federal and state programs. 

I live in Maplewood with my husband, Matt, and our three young daughters, who are in 3rd, 4th and 6th grades. I am running for Township Committee to make sure small business owners and families like mine, with young children at home, are represented in local government. As a member of the “sandwich generation,” I also realize the importance of aging in place and want to keep Maplewood accessible for all ages and income levels.