A Lifetime of Service. A Vision for Our Future,

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For over thirty years, my work has been guided by a simple belief: When Northwest Arkansas faces a challenge, we don't wait for someone else to fix it—we do it ourselves.

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From Personal Loss to Community Healing

In 1992, I co-founded Circle of Life Hospice as part of the Springdale Hospital home health program. Following the loss of my daughter, Heather, I saw firsthand the desperate need for specialized grief and end-of-life services in our region.

I didn't just see the problem; I went to work. By collaborating with hospital administrators, clergy, healthcare professionals, and state agencies, we built the first freestanding Hospice House in NWA. For nearly two decades, that organization has served as a sanctuary for families during their most difficult moments.

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Innovation Through Empathy

My commitment to our community didn’t end when I retired from nursing. Through Olive Loom, I’ve focused on creating flexible, dignified employment for caregivers who cannot maintain traditional 9-5 schedules.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we didn't sit on the sidelines. We pivoted our entire operation to manufacture face masks, scaling rapidly to protect our neighbors when supplies were scarce. To me, business has always been about more than profit—it’s about common-sense solutions for the people who live here.

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A Legacy of Leadership

Last year, I was humbled to receive a "Women in History" recognition for my lifelong dedication to community service. While I am honored by the award, my true reward has been the strength of the families I've met along the way.

 

"I’m not running to be a politician; I’m running because I’m a nurse, a mother, and a small business owner who knows that accountability and local voices are the only way to protect the place we call home."

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I ran unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives to represent Prairie Grove, Lincoln and West Washington County. Not much has changed much except that the county government has gotten more partisan under Judge Deakins. I'll leave the video up since these are my core values, Restoring Balance, Service-First.

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My husband of 32 years passed away last year and I still live in our home over-looking Reed Valley and the old home place.

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