What are your top 3 priorities for county commission?

“My primary focus is ensuring Hamilton County remains a place where families can thrive, seniors can age with dignity, and young adults can build a future. This includes supporting strong public schools, improving access to county services, helping seniors navigate existing programs, and working to retain local talent through economic opportunities that provide a path to financial stability.
Secondly, I believe residents deserve a county government that is open, understandable, and responsive. I will advocate for plain-language budgets, greater public engagement before major decisions are made, and clearer reporting on how taxpayer dollars are spent. Government works best when people can see it, understand it, and participate in it.
Lastly, Hamilton County continues to grow, and growth must be matched with adequate infrastructure, school capacity, public safety resources, and long-term planning. I support a balanced approach that protects neighborhoods, respects taxpayers, and ensures we address today’s needs without creating more problems for tomorrow.”

What would you do as a commissioner to help the city and county work together toward a shared vision?

“I believe one of the most important responsibilities of a County Commissioner is to be a collaborator and a facilitator. We face many challenges, whether it’s education, infrastructure, public safety, housing, or economic development. They do not stop at city limits. They require local governments, community organizations, businesses, and residents to work together toward common goals. This is something I’ve been doing for years as a Director of Operations as well as my time in the service industry.
As a Commissioner, I would focus on building strong working relationships with city leaders, school officials, community stakeholders, and residents. I don’t believe government should operate in silos, with agencies working independently instead of collaboratively. My approach is to bring people to the table, encourage productive dialogue, identify shared priorities, and help remove barriers that prevent progress.
I believe effective leadership is less about commanding and more about connecting. The County Commission is uniquely positioned to help facilitate conversations, build consensus, and ensure different voices are heard. By working together rather than apart, we can create a shared vision that improves quality of life for all Hamilton County residents while making the most responsible use of taxpayer dollars.”

What can the county commission do to ensure that development reflects the needs and input of our communities?

I believe development should happen with communities, not simply around them. Development is going to happen. But we can manage it. One of the concerns I hear most often from residents is that they learn about major projects after key decisions have already been made. At which point, many feel their voices no longer matter.
As a County Commissioner, I will advocate for earlier and more meaningful public engagement in the development process. I have proposed a framework that encourages community input before decisions reach the final stages of approval. This means providing residents with clear information, accessible meeting opportunities, and multiple ways to participate, which will include online engagement, public forums, neighborhood meetings, and direct communication with elected officials.
Good development requires more than growth; it requires trust. When residents are brought into the conversation early, decision-makers gain valuable local knowledge, potential concerns can be addressed before they become conflicts, and projects are more likely to reflect the needs and character of the community. My goal is to help create a process that is more transparent, more accessible, and more responsive to the people who live there every day. This is what I do daily as an operations manager. I study the process and create solutions.

What is your most unpopular opinion?

“My most unpopular opinion is that disagreement is healthy. Working with the public, you encounter this a lot. Especially working in customer service.
In a time when many people immediately sort themselves into teams, I believe some of the best ideas come from people who see the world differently than we do. We have reached a point where too many relationships are being sacrificed over political opinions, social issues, or personal beliefs. I don’t think disagreement should automatically make someone an enemy. We all have different perspectives. We should take the time to hear one another out.
Some of the most productive conversations I’ve had have been with people who challenged my assumptions and forced me to think differently. I may not always change my mind, and neither may they, but understanding each other is valuable in itself. I learned this a lot being an avid reader of philosophy.
Whether in government or everyday life, I believe we spend too much time trying to defeat each other and not enough time trying to understand each other. At the end of the day, we are all human.”