I was born in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota and raised by my mother who instilled in me the importance of faith, hard work, kindness, and a drive to leave the world in a better place. I have learned from her that hard work and grit equals success. My father, an entrepreneur and WWII veteran whose missions brought him to the South Pacific, was a man that taught me the definition of bravery and courage. I am forever grateful to all that have fought for our freedoms.

I graduated from Park Center Senior High in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. My desire was to go on to college to become a secondary education teacher. However, with mom working two jobs and my father working hard to get his company to the next level, it was decided that attending college was not a reality for me. With that, I attended cosmetology school and was hired at a well-known salon in Wayzata.

I met a man with an entrepreneurial spirit. He graduated from Wayzata Senior High and obtained a four-year degree from the University of Minnesota. We were married at Saint Alphonsus Church in Brooklyn Center.

Blessed with our first-born child Lauren, I was advised that my promotion at the salon was no longer on the table. With that, the decision was made that I leave the salon to stay home and raise our daughter. To help make ends meet I opened a successful, licensed in-home daycare, which quickly grew to full capacity. In caring for children, I learned how important it is that they have a stable environment.

When our son Ryan was born, we moved to Plymouth where we stayed long after my children’s father and I decided to part ways. I have lived in the western suburbs for more than 30 years, raising two children, and being an active part of the community. Volunteering in the classroom, at church, and coaching soccer have given me so many life lessons and perspectives. I am truly blessed to have had these experiences and looking forward to more in the future.

As a self-taught landscape designer, I learned to design and build landscapes that ranged from $3,000 to $300,000. With determination, hard work and a little luck, I was given the opportunity to be featured on several HGTV shows including Landscape Smart and Landscaper’s Challenge. After years of design work, I decided to hang up my work boots to obtain a real estate license.

For the past 16 years I have sold residential real estate in the western suburbs. I have sold when the economy was at its best and at its worst.

I met my husband Ben while working on a real estate transaction. We were married at the Depot in Wayzata in the fall of 2012. This year we will celebrate our tenth anniversary. We have three darling grandchildren who have given me the drive to make positive change in our State.

Today, we have rising property taxes, high energy costs, rising inflation, and out-of-control state income tax. As your next State Senator, I will work on legislation to stabilize our economy, eliminate crime, support our police officers, and improve our education outcomes. With determination, and a no-fail attitude, I am ready to get to work.

Together, let’s create a Minnesota that works for us all!

For common sense solutions and a better tomorrow, I ask for your support.

Thank you for your consideration.

I hope you will visit my Priorities page to better understand why I am running.

Additional facts

I have served as Vice Chair of Congressional District 3 Executive Board for three years. Committees I held were Finance, Event Planning, and Messaging. Additionally, I am the President and Founder of the KBSDystonia foundation (kbsdystonia.org) a non-profit organization that helps raise awareness about Dystonia and supports the University of Minnesota Neurology Department through donations to ultimately find a cure.

Along with being a wife, mother, grandmother, and daughter, I enjoy spending time in the garden, boating, taking long walks, reading, watching Minnesota sports, and attempting to play golf… and of course, working hard to bring common sense back to Minnesota!