“My love of foreign languages and other cultures became a guiding influence in my life at a young age. Throughout my formal education, I studied Japanese, Chinese, French, and Spanish, and I had the opportunity to study abroad in several countries. I think nothing impacts young minds like seeing firsthand how other people live. After leaving James Madison University with a B.A. in International Affairs, I began work at the Virginia Governor’s Office where I found my second love – editing. There is something very satisfying about transforming a document into clear, understandable communication that audiences can appreciate as relatable. My third love, local government, found its way to me a few years later. I appreciate the direct and daily impact on local communities that municipal work offers.  Avid Core’s mission and the projects we support allow me to nurture all three of these passions. I live in Spotsylvania, Virginia, and have a 15-year-old son who is the love of my life. We spend our weekends travelling for volleyball, and our goal is, once a year, to go someplace we have never been.”