About Me

I grew up in Nebraska, just outside Lincoln, surrounded by farmland, lakes, and open skies. My grandparents were farmers and railroad workers; my parents, an attorney and a nurse. From them I learned the values of hard work, honesty, integrity, and kindness.

I came to Boston for college and experienced the contrast between quiet rural space and the dense energy of Cambridge. That contrast helped me realize how much I value access to nature, a sense of space, and the rhythms of small-town life — one of the many reasons Carlisle felt like home when I first got to know it.

I studied architecture and urban planning at MIT, but a final-semester class on negotiation reshaped my path. I discovered that negotiation is a skill you can learn — one that builds trust, improves outcomes, and strengthens communities.

After two years as a city planner on a major public project in my hometown, I pursued a master’s at Tufts’ Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, focusing on negotiation and conflict resolution. Since then, I’ve spent nearly 30 years helping corporations, governments, and nonprofits navigate difficult conversations and complex decisions. For the past 14 years, I’ve also taught negotiation and leadership at Tufts University’s School of Engineering.

I’ve spent almost 30 years helping corporations, international organizations, non-profits, and governments navigate complex decisions and difficult conversations.

Life in Carlisle

I first got to know Carlisle in 2004 when my sister moved here. I visited often and quickly fell in love with the town. When Dan and I married in 2010, we chose to get our marriage license and celebrate our wedding here — even before we lived in Carlisle.

In 2016, we made Carlisle our home. We first bought a modest Cape on Stearns Street, and later moved just up the road as our family grew. Our kids, Gus and Aoife, started at Carlisle Kids House and are now at CPS. We’ve built a family life here — participating in Scouts, soccer, and FRS, visiting Kimball’s, even boarding a horse at Little Brook Farm.

Carlisle has given us so much. That’s why I care deeply about shaping a future that keeps it vibrant — not just preserved, but thriving — as a small New England town.

Community Involvement

Like many parents, I started small — chaperoning field trips, volunteering at the library, helping where I could while balancing work and family. As my kids grew, I had the chance to take on more formal roles:

Dog Control Subcommittee (2017): Helped draft a bylaw that struck a balance between freedom for dog owners and accountability in public spaces. The bylaw passed at Town Meeting.
Master Plan Steering Committee (2019-2021): Helped select the planning consultant, led public input efforts like “kitchen conversations,” and worked with others to keep the project moving after the consultant’s unexpected resignation. That effort resulted in an adopted Master Plan reflecting Carlisle’s values and priorities.
Carlisle Planning Board (2025- ): Won a contested election after a campaign focused on four priorities: communication, clarity, thoughtful problem-solving, and accessibility.