Agendas and meeting documents are posted at:

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/kcps/Board.nsf/Public.

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I consider myself a native Kent Countian, though I was born in Baltimore and lived there until moving to Chestertown at the age of 8. I have a varied educational background, having attended parochial, public and private school. I am an honors graduate of St. Andrew's School in Middletown, Delaware and Washington College, where I received a bachelor's degree in history. I am a fourth-generation journalist, having recently retired after 37 years at the Kent County News, where I am still a contributing writer and photographer. I have been re-elected to a third term on the Board of Education. I am involved in community outreach and serve as a Character Counts! volunteer. I have coached high school field hockey for more than 30 years, most of that time at Kent County High School.

I am a single mother with four children; all Kent County Public Schools students. Three of my children graduated from Kent County High School and my youngest is in ninth grade. I’ve been a resident of Kent County for the past 24 years. I graduated from Washington College (’00) and The Johns Hopkins University School of Education (’11). I am a case manager at the Benedictine School with 10 years of experience in special education. I am also a licensed mental health therapist at Discovering Serenity Counseling Services in Chestertown.

I attended Kent County Public Schools as have my children and grandchildren. After graduation, I became a certified senior cosmetologist. I have an Associate degree in theology. I was a salon owner of Aretha's Creative Touch from 1998 to 2023. I am currently the owner of Aretha's Creative Touch (Food & Pastry Edition) I have been blessed to add a new food truck. I have served the community on several committees, including the Social Action Committee for Racial Justice, along with several subcommittees including Education and Community. I am the co-founder of Lighthouse Non-Denominational Ministries located in Chestertown, where I serve along with my husband who is pastor and founder.

Raised in Philadelphia, I came to the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the summers as a boy to spend time with my grandparents on their farm in Dorchester County. The Shore had an incredible draw on me and I returned as a young man to attend Washington College in Chestertown, where I graduated in 1983, with a B.A. in history. I have lived in Kent County since that time, married and raised my four children here. I own a custom furniture making, reupholstery and restoration shop in Chestertown, where we specialize in Chippendale and Queen Anne’s style furniture. In this community, I was able to transform my interest in using my hands and my mind into a viable small business, which draws customers from New York to North Carolina. The unique culture and history in Chestertown and Kent County provide ample opportunities for my craftsman and artisan nature to thrive. This community and our school system provides opportunities not always found in the fast-paced, technological world we live in. Nurturing the opportunities which abound in our community is at the heart of my desire to be an active and involved board member for the Kent County Public Schools. My wife, Susan, and I have enjoyed raising our children in Kent County. Our twins currently attend Kent County High School, where we have become very active and involved in supporting the school and students. I believe that our school system is the lifeblood of our community and lays the foundation for the future of our children and this county. My personal goals in my work as a KCPS Board Member is to ensure that our schools are performing at the highest levels in academic performance and achievement, state of the art facilities and sports programs. These lofty goals will set the stage for all of our children’s future and the generations to come.

With years of experience as a youth and community organizer at Bayside HOYAS in Kent County, I have a proven track record of implementing effective, community-based solutions to address the socioeconomic issues that impact our community, including poverty, racism and education. I also have two daughters currently enrolled in the Kent County Public Schools system.