I have an adult son living with autism. When he was in high school, he participated in the youth program. When he graduated, he was able to obtain employment at the YMCA through the program. Our rural community is in need of resources that help individuals living with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else and to have the ability to live an independent and meaningful life. TRICO not only allows me to pay forward the assistance and support my son received, but help people in our area find their place in the community. 

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I've worn many hats, but they have all revolved around working with people. Early on in my career I was a crisis counselor at what was once "Dial Help Inc." in Houghton, MI. I worked both one-on-one and in group settings with people living with mental health struggles or in immediate crisis. I also worked in the early childhood field for twenty-five years. First as a teacher, and then as a program director. I worked as a regional parent liaison in the UP for Michigan Alliance for Families for many years. In this role I assisted family members with loved ones living with disabilities, the individuals themselves, school systems, businesses, and even two law enforcement agencies with a training on Autism. I was with the Great Start Collaborative as a Regional Parent Mentor, where I did grassroots work and lobbied in Lansing at the capital for the UP to keep family assistance programs in place so parents could keep working. 

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I love spending time with my family first and foremost. Independently, i enjoy running, kayaking, hiking, reading books, yoga, traveling to new places, and exploring ways to express my creative nature. The latter could be anything from building furniture out of pallets to painting my house a different color. 

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