Leadership Experience

Teacher of the Year

I have been a history teacher at Chesterton High School for 29 years where I make every effort to bring history to life through living history and experiential learning. I love to teach because every day is an opportunity to make a difference in my students' lives. I have learned that even more important than the history lessons that I teach my students, are the lessons in how I treat my students. That is what I will bring to the County Council... a passion for what I do and willingness to work together to make a difference in the lives of Porter County residents.

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2020 Chesterton High School Teacher of the Year

2021 Duneland School Corporation Teacher of the Year

2022 Indiana Teacher of the Year Top Ten Finalist

2023 Indiana Outstanding Teacher of American History

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Co-President: Duneland Teachers Association

As Co-President of the Duneland Teachers Association, I represent 368 Duneland teachers. I am proud that 97% of Duneland teachers stand together in our Association, giving us a voice at the table to better serve our teachers and students. I work hard to be responsive to the needs of our teachers to ensure that their concerns are heard and that we find solutions to our challenges. I've learned that half of leadership is a culture of positivity for a better future and half is problem solving and good decision making when the decisions aren't always easy to make. 

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Chairman of Negotiations: Duneland Teachers Association

As Chairman of Negotiations, I have worked to build an effective relationship of trust between the Duneland Teachers Association and the Duneland School Corporation to work as a team to maximize what we can achieve together for our students, teachers and families. I have been the Negotiations Chair for seven years, and in that time Duneland has gone from having one of the lowest starting teacher salaries in the county to one of the highest in the state. I will bring this same culture of collaboration to the County Council to maximize what we can achieve for Porter County.

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Legislative Liaison: Indiana State Teachers Association

As a legislative liaison for the Indiana State Teachers Association, I work with Democratic and Republican state legislators on education policy and funding for our public schools. While we do not always agree, I have worked hard to build genuine relationships with our legislators in an effort to advocate for our public schools and to work together to get more done for Hoosier students and families. I will bring that same effort to build genuine relationships to the Porter County Council to work with our Commissioners to get more done for the people of Porter County.

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Board of Directors: Porter County Parks and Recreation

For the last 2 years I have served on the Board of Directors for the Porter County Parks and Recreation. I am passionate about our parks and the need to increase our investment in our parks to improve the health and well-being of our communities. An investment in our parks and programs is an investment in the social infrastructure for our citizens to be outdoors, be active and engage with nature. I am proud to have been part of the team that has overseen the hiring of our new parks superintendent and the expansion of the programs and facilities that the Porter County Parks have to offer. As a County Councilman, I will work to provide the resources our county parks need to better serve Porter County.