Experience Counts.
As your representative, I have guided development of new county ordinances, surveys and impact fee credits for affordable housing as well as establishment of a regional Housing Trust Fund.
Since being elected, I have been steadfast in preserving our environment by protecting our open spaces and farmland and in nurturing our beautiful waterways by maintaining excellent water quality in the Port Royal Sound.
I will continue to work for you so that Beaufort County is a place we enjoy calling home.
My promise to you.
During the next four years, I will use my experience as a liaison with other local governments, military, schools, TCL and USCB and state agencies to meet our shared goals such as improving economic diversity, providing affordable housing, solving traffic problems such as Ribaut Road, solving stormwater issues, protecting our water quality and preserving county relationships with our valuable military partners in northern Beaufort County.
I pledge to honor recent public input to continue improving our parks and recreation programs and our soon-to-be-adopted Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan.
Accomplishments
Stormwater and resiliency
Resolved flooding problems in the Mossy Oaks neighborhood by partnering with the City of Beaufort and South Carolina DOT. My goal is to leverage that experience to solve flooding problems in Shell Point identified in a stormwater engineering study.
With cooperation from the Town of Port Royal and Beaufort County Rural and Critical Lands, we have preserved a large parcel in Shell Point for open space and stormwater containment.
Improved pedestrian access and expanded outdoor activities
In cooperation with local governments, I ensured quality of life improvements by obtaining funding for District 4 sidewalks, including Southside Blvd. and Waddell Road. In addition, we developed new pathways along Ribaut Road, Depot Road and Spanish Moss Trail.
In response to citizen requests, we formed a task force which recommended the pickleball courts that are now in use at Southside and Shell Point parks.
It has been gratifying to watch expansion of the Spanish Moss Trail over the past seven years through the acquisition and development of additional passive parks. Water access and boat landings also continue to be vital to our citizens and visitors.
Economic vitality, diversity, and partnership
My experience in partnering with the military, while also protecting the military mission, allowed the County to preserve land with the acquisition of Revolutionary Battle site near MCAS Beaufort and the easement acquisition in the Oak Point flight path – a move which also prevents incompatible development.
I serve as current Chair of the Natural Resources Committee and past Chair of the Community Services Committee. Our accomplishments include:
- Beaufort County update to the Master Plan;
- Constructing three new homes for Disabilities and Special Needs;
- Passive parks projects approved and opened, including Crystal Lake Park, Ft. Frederick Heritage Preserve, Ft. Freemont Preserve and Widgeon Point Preserve.
In addition, I am the county liaison to Beaufort County Library Board, Stormwater Board, Beaufort County Rural and Critical Lands Board, Town of Port Royal, Beaufort County Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, Technical College of the Lowcountry, Port Royal Ribaut Road Task Force and Northern Regional Plan Implementation Committee and Beaufort Memorial Hospital Board.
Professional background and previous community experience
- Served as Community Liaison and Planning Officer at MCAS Beaufort and Natural Resources and Environmental Officer at MCAS Beaufort for a combined 20 years.
- Diverse community leadership roles include service as
- Rotary president and district leadership roles, board member of Keep Beaufort Beautiful, Southside Park Committee, Rotary Reader volunteer, and Beaufort County Schools/Rotary Anti-Bullying project chair
- South Coast Cyber Security Center Advisory Board member
- Chairman of the City of Beaufort Zoning Board of Appeals, Member / Metro Planning Commission
- Leadership Beaufort, Class of 1996
- Riley Institute of Furman, Diversity Leaders Initiative, Fall 2017
- Resident of Mossy Oaks for 31 years; daughter and grandchildren educated in Beaufort County Schools and daughter is a teacher in Beaufort County Schools
- Born on a military installation on the Fourth of July, my family has always valued military service and many family members have also served their communities as firefighters, teachers, civil servants, or farmers.
Education
- University of Georgia, Master of Public Administration
- Columbus State University, Bachelor of Science, Community Planning and Development, Magna Cum Laude
- Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Associate of Arts, Political Science